Vulnerability
by Ryouko Akizakura
Summary: It only took losing her parents to nearly drive Claire Farron off the edge. Now, she's barely hanging on. Bills remain unpaid, fridge remains empty. And things aren't getting any better. Only worse. I do not own FFXIII or FFVXIII. R&R.
1. The Beach

**Author's Note**: Hey everyone, it's Guren. Before you all start complaining about how's little to no talking in here, this is only the first chapter. I'm obsessed with Claire Farron again, so, you'll see more chapters for this story. Probably not many, but still. I was just venting into Claire, basically. I can relate to her in more ways than one. But anyway, I'm not sure if this is going to be a romance or not. I mean look at the setting. Claire's struggling to hang on. I don't think I'm going to be able to put romance into this. I'll try. But don't count on it. I just quickly wrote this in like, an hour or two, so, sorry if there are mistakes. I hope you enjoy this.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII or Final Fantasy Versus XIII, unfortunately. I LOVE Claire Farron, to death! She rules. But, anyway, I don't own anything.

**EDIT**: I recently decided, like a few hours ago that this story will be my first crossover, only because I'm using Noctis and Stella for the Friendhip/Love Interest part. Yes, it's going to have romance in it. It isn't going to be a big thing though. But there will be romance. I love Lightis, so, Noctella fans, there'll be sprinkles, but not that many. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

I was always vulnerable. Open to attack, defenseless. Well, that's what all humans are like. We're reliant on whoever is in charge of us, or whoever gave birth to our wretched existences. But then again, who's above _them_? Who do they serve? The army? The Primarch? No, they've got to serve a higher power. And who might that be? The damn Fal'Cie.

Those "gods" took everything away from me. My mother, my father, my life, my innocence. I was only fifteen. I couldn't fend for myself. I was poor little Claire Farron, the beautiful girl that all of the boys wanted, the one all of the parents thought was an angel. Why did it have to happen to me? Why _me_ of all people? I never did anything to deserve my parents being wrenched out my life like a troublesome weed. Or rather, _two_ troublesome weeds.

Yes, both of them. They're both dead in the ground, and I'm still broken. I'm still struggling to care for my younger sister, Serah, as I promised my mother on her deathbed only a year ago. I couldn't take it. Not like this. I was still too weak to fully grasp the fact that I'm the only one Serah had left. I'm the only one she has to rely on. I had to be strong.

Nothing was going to change unless I grew up. Nothing was going to get better unless I changed. Serah didn't have to do anything. She just had to keep smiling. I had to make things better, in order to keep her smiling. But how was I going to do that, if I was weak and vulnerable? I couldn't do anything in the state I was in. I had to rebuild, regroup, and grow the _hell_ up. _Fast_.

I looked over at the counter, drawing my blue eyes away from the Physics I was working on, and settled my pained and exhausted irises on the unpaid bills, my right hand lifting up to cradle my face gently. Things weren't looking good for the house either. My job working at the clothing store down the street wasn't paying me enough to keep a roof over our heads. I had to think of something, and fast. Faster than growing up, that's for sure.

I sighed. So much to do, and too little time to do it. I was running all over the place, every second of everyday crammed with obligations. I barely had any time to sleep, eat, drink, relieve myself, breathe. I had _no_ time to spend with Serah, at all. How could I when I was struggling to keep the house that we were living in from being taken from us? I was the only one out of the two of us that was old enough to get a job. Serah, being only 13, still was too young to get a job in order to help me out. She could do babysitting, to help put more money into the nearly empty bank account, but, I still hadn't told her about the situation we were in.

She still didn't know how bad things were. Neither did any of my classmates. I refused to tell them how bad everything was. They knew my parents had died, but they didn't know that Serah and I were living alone in our house planted in the seaside city of Bodhum. They had _no_ clue. They had zero clue as to how horrible things were for Serah and me. We were barely hanging on, just by a thin thread. And things only got worse.

On top of the fact that we had no money at all, we also had close to no food. I could only pay for so much with my tiny paycheck. I only received minimum wage, which was only $8 an hour. And since I only worked like, 10 hours a week, I only got $320 a month. That was barely enough to pay for food. And what about the mortgage? Or the house bills? We had no money left over for the things that were important, like shelter. We were walking on thinner and thinner ice as the days passed.

I looked away from the month late bills, closing my eyes in shame. I couldn't do it all on my own. For all of my strength, the strength I'd prided myself for when my parents were alive, I could barely keep myself going. Let alone Serah. I was stretched so thin, so taut, that I flipped out at nearly everything that came my way. It didn't matter if you weren't the subject of my misfortune. You were as good as dead if you so much as even glanced in my direction. I wasn't stable.

I knew deep in my heart that I wasn't ever going to be whole or solid again. I was never going to be like those idle and happy kids in my classes that clung to me like deprived savages. They wanted to know everything, things I couldn't tell them. I was enigmatic, a mystery to them, one they wanted to open up like a book and read the pages of my mind and my heart. My life story. Everything I'm trying so hard to hide.

I couldn't bear the shame if I asked for help. Besides, who could I ask? The mailman? He makes less money than I do for crying out loud! Seriously. There was no answer to that question. No answer at all. I was on my own when it came to this issue. More like a problem if you think about it. It was seeping into everything like an overgrown garden steeped in wet dirt. It just kept growing. It kept getting worse and worse. The situation wasn't changing, or getting better.

I'd lie awake at night praying to whoever was the higher power for salvation, for help, or for something in my horrible life to go right. I prayed for me to suddenly gain strength, the strength to keep going, to never give up. Never give up…I'd heard the phrase many times, but that was only on the soccer field back when I was in middle school. Back when I wasn't cold and bitter. Back when…_They_ were still here. I was broken and shattered and falling apart. I was like a tool that was cast aside into the reject pile. I couldn't hold myself up anymore. I was at the end of my rope, the last bit of strength having left my body months ago, the last shred of hope having faded away the instant my mother left me, alone to look after my 13 year old sister. My heart was cold and dead, just a wasted muscle in my frozen chest, barely able to keep my exhausted body alive.

I lifted my head up, and looked out the window above the sink, the plaid curtains billowing into the crystal clear glass fervently, been encouraged by the salty wind that wafted through the thin glass door to my right. It was sunny outside, a typical day on the beach. You could hear children playing in the surf, oblivious to the outside world, mothers watching over them protectively. The things I longed for. I longed for comfort, I longed for stability. I wanted my family back. I wanted my life back. I wanted _myself _back. I wanted to be strong again. I wanted to be beautiful again.

I stared directly into the window, my reflection just barely able to be made out. I could see the slope of my nose, my pink hair that framed my face generously, my bangs that hung into my powder blue eyes, my jawbone, cheekbones, my chin. My entire face in general was what I considered beautiful. What the boys in my school considered beautiful. What the girls in my school considered gorgeous. I was beautiful. My body wasn't all that bad, I guess. I had long legs, and was graced with an average bust for my age, not too big, not too small. Not that I cared. I wasn't skinny like skin and bones, not yet anyway. I wasn't all that bad looking.

I sighed. But beautiful doesn't get you anywhere in this cruel world. It didn't matter that I had the face of a model, or the body of an athlete. I was still poor, walking on thin ice, and still bitter. And I wasn't going to change anytime soon. I more than likely was going to stay like this for the rest of my life. A cold, and bitter individual with nothing better to do than work her sorry ass off in order to get some money to support her inept sister. Not that I blamed Serah or anything, but sometimes it was a drag to have to take care of another person. If it was just me, I'd be fine. But, Serah, I love her to death, but she was a liability. A necessary liability.

Having to look after Serah was making me grow up. It was teaching me to not care solely about myself and only myself. Having to be a "motherly" figure to my little sister was teaching me how to care for others on a different level than I already had been. Sure, I hugged, loved, held, and played with Serah, don't get me wrong. But this…This was different. _Way_ different. This was on a whole other level. This was on a different wavelength than what I had already done.

I stood up, lifting my butt from the stool I had been sitting on and dusted my miniskirt off, carefully lifting my textbook, notebook, and pencil off of the marble countertop and crossing the room to open the door to walk outside. After I turned the knob of the door delicately, opening the glass access just a crack, my face was buffeted by salty sea air, the smell surging into my nose. I snorted the water filled wind out of my windpipe angrily, and shoved open the door, savagely stepping through it before letting it slam behind me.

I took a few steps away from the door onto my porch, looking out at the beach, the shimmering water in the distance. The blue ripples in the sea, the white capped waves that gently lapped at the water's edge, reaching further and further up the sandy cove, trying to get all the way up to the path that was set in the ground only a few feet from the surf. It was these things I enjoyed.

I slid my feet out of my sandals, and stepped down the stairs carefully, wary of the splinters that could dig themselves into my vulnerable soles. Once that hurdle was cleared, I clutched my books against my chest tighter, and started jogging toward the surf, toward the water that had captured my attention like a moth to a flame. I jogged in between people, some of them knew me, or knew me because of my deceased mother and father, and uttered a subtle greeting, which I politely returned with a fake smile, the best fake smile I could muster. It wasn't a very good one, that's for sure.

It wasn't meant to be good. It wasn't meant to leave them star struck. It was meant to get them off of my back. Or to think I actually had a functioning "heart". What was a heart anyway? Was it something that was the source of all emotion, thoughts, and feelings? If so, then mine was gone, ripped out of me, the gaping hole being the only thing left to prove its once joyous existence. I didn't have a "heart" anymore. I didn't have a soul. I'd had that torn out of me too. I was just a broken doll.

I made it to the surf, stopping midstride, my feet coming down right when the water lapped at the spot my heels hit, small tiny pieces of spray coming up to plaster themselves to my calves and thighs. I smiled. It felt good. I relaxed as the steady rhythm of the water soothed my aching nerves, my taut mind, heart. I could relax now. I could lose myself in this little piece of heaven called the beach. It had always had that effect on me. It always left me like this. Relaxed, calm, placid. Just like when my parents were alive. It all kept coming back to that, didn't it?

"Claire! Claire! I need to talk to you about something! Can you come inside?" I smiled as the wind blew my pink hair around my face, my chin lifting upward as my blue eyes closed, the sunlight warm and gentle against my eyelids.

"Coming Serah…Just give me a few minutes. I'm finally happy."


	2. Light of the Night Sky Part 1

**Author's Note**: Okay...? This chapter is a bit weird. Even for me. I was trying to make it look like she was weak and everything, but I must've had a bit too much fun. Anyway, I finished the second chapter! Or the first part of it anyway. Well, this is where Stella Nox Fleuret is introduced, so, yeah. And Claire's money issues are going to get even worse as the story goes on, I think. I have no clue where this story is going. I had a sort of set plan for it, and now that's going up in smoke. I've gotta go back to SasuSaku...Anyway, here's the first glimpse of a love that maybe be. Whoops. Anyway, that's all I got to say.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII or Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Basically, I don't own anything.

* * *

"And then Snow asked me out! Isn't that great?" Serah asked as she ate the ham and rice I set in front of her just a few seconds ago. I smiled.

"Yes, that's wonderful. Mother would've been so happy for you." I replied gently, evenly. Serah smiled back, her white teeth bright against her bubblegum pink lips.

"I didn't know what to say! I was shocked. I've had a crush on him for a while, but I still wasn't sure what to say! I figured I'd ask you, since you get asked out all the time, Claire. What do you think?" I blinked, and looked away, blue eyes downcast, my face slightly pink.

"I wouldn't say all the time, Serah. But I do get asked out a lot." I replied modestly, looking back at her smiling face.

I loved her smile. Her soft smile. The way it curled up with the force of her happiness. I didn't ever want it to fade away. It was the only thing holding me up. I had no strength left. Her smile was the only thing keeping me going. If it never appeared again, I'd be dead in seconds. I never wanted to see Serah sad. She wasn't the kind of girl that got sad easily, but still. I didn't want to worry her with our issues. They were _mine_ to deal with.

"Well, Claire? What do you think I should do?" I sighed. Well, what could she do? This Snow person sounded like a stubborn fellow based on the stories I'd heard for the past few months. He didn't seem like the kind of guy to give up. I sighed again.

"What grade? How old?" I asked, sitting down on the stool beside her, and crossing my arms and legs. _This ought to be good_. Serah thought for a second, her blue eyes gentle and thoughtful.

"Sophomore, and…16?" My eyes narrowed. _My age? Is she nuts? _I gently put my hand on Serah's shoulder.

How to explain…I couldn't just tell her that she couldn't date him. The truth was, she could. It wasn't illegal or anything. It's just that she was only 13 years old, and this Snow guy, who I didn't like already, he was in my grade! He was one of those guys that had asked me out before, I'll bet. I was positive he was only going after my sister just to make me jealous or to get back at me. I was sure he was fake, and that he would eventually hurt Serah. And I wasn't about to let that happen, not with things the way they are.

But how could I explain this to a lovesick 13 year old? How would my mother explain this? This just proved that I wasn't grown up enough to be Serah's motherly figure, the motherly figure she needed. I was her older sister, but I could only do so much on my own. And this wasn't one of the things I could do. Explaining that the boy she has a crush on, the boy in my grade, might be faking her out and planning to hurt her in due time. I couldn't tell it to her straight out. I didn't have the heart. But I couldn't let her suffer later, either. I was torn. I didn't want to hurt her, or have her get hurt later. Again, this wasn't my job as an older sister.

But there was nothing I could do about it. I was the only one who could tell her like it is. Mother and Father were dead in the ground. So, with that, I guess it was my job. The only thing I could do, was bite my lip and say it. I had to. I didn't want anyone to hurt her. But if someone was going to, it might as well be me. After all, _I_ had caused all of the problems that we have crippling us, right? It was because of _my _weakness wasn't it? About time I atoned for my sins. I blinked my narrowed eyes, and leaned closer to Serah.

"Serah, are you sure he likes you? Like really likes you?" I asked, just to be certain. Serah thought for another second.

"Yeah, he said he doesn't want anyone else in the world." I snorted. _Can't give him points for originality. _I fought back a smirk.

"Serah, are you absolutely, positively sure?" I asked again, my powdery irises serious. Serah's stared back at me, glowing with promise.

"Yes. I'm sure." I sighed. _Alright then…_I sat up on my stool and laid my hands over each other on my crossed knees, and smiled.

"Then I'm giving you the okay. Serah Farron, you are now able to date Snow. Have fun!" I answered, the sun shining through the window across my face, making my smile look all the more brighter. Serah jumped up into the air and cheered.

"Thank you so much, Claire! You're the best sister in the world!" I widened my eyes, and looked down, Serah suddenly hugging me tightly. I sighed and rubbed her head with my hand gently, smiling.

"No problem Serah." I replied quietly, still stunned at what she'd said. I bit my bottom lip.

She had called me the "best sister in the world". What kind of sister hid things from their sibling? Sure, we all hide stuff from our brothers and sisters because we don't want them to know. But what if one of these things was unpaid bills or how low your reserves of money are? I couldn't tell her anything. It was my burden to bear. It was my job to take care of her. That was the task laid out for me ever since the day my parents had vanished from this world. No salvation was coming for me yet. Although I prayed every night, nothing came. No help, no light. Just despair. And weakness. Was that all I was capable of? Just lying and crying?

I was crying on the inside. I had to. I couldn't show tears in front of Serah or she'd know something was wrong. I had locked what was left of my heart up in a cage of pain and cried. I cried almost every night. I cried while I was praying. I cried while I was sleeping. I'd often cry myself to sleep, saddened at my weakness and shame. What had happened to me? What had happened to Claire Farron, the strongest and prettiest girl in the entire Sophomore Class? Oh, that's right. She lost everything. That would do it to you. Serah let go, and pulled back, smiling up at me.

"Claire, I have another question." She started, lifting her finger to her lips, curling it in, making it look like she was deep in thought. I flattened my hand on my hip and sighed.

"What is it, Serah?" I asked, gesturing for her to continue with a wave of my other hand. Serah bit her bottom lip, and blinked.

"Well, Lebreau invited me to go to the amusement park down the street tomorrow…Since we have no school…And, I was wondering if I could go with her…" I widened my eyes.

"The expensive one?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. If it was, we didn't have the money for it. We never would. My paycheck couldn't pay for a day playing in an amusement park. To my utter despair, Serah nodded.

"Yeah, the one we were going to go to when Mother got out of the hospital." I sighed, looking to the side.

"The one that had the roller coasters blaring in our ears when they dug a hole in the ground and placed her coffin in it…" I murmured, thinking. Serah took a few steps toward me, and put her hands on my thighs gently.

"Please Claire? Can I go? I'll stop at Mother's grave first, before I go and have fun." I rolled my head, closing my eyes.

"It's not that Serah, it's just…" _It's so damn expensive. How in the hell am I going to get enough money to pay for her food, ticket, and games? _My head started spinning. I couldn't swing it right now, not with the bills a month late and the refrigerator nearly empty. Serah caught onto my hesitation.

"If you're worried about money, Lebreau's mother offered to pay." My head snapped up, my pink hair hitting the sides of my face as my bangs slammed down on my forehead.

Did she know? About the bills being late and unpaid? And about my little paycheck? Did she know about it all, about the things I'm fighting to hide? My head spun harder, my vision blurring in front of my eyes. I must've been out in the sun for too long. Yeah, that was it. I'd been exposed to too much Vitamin D and UV Rays. That explained _everything_. Every. Single. Thing.

Nevertheless, once I got my grip back, I slid off of the stool and took a few steps toward my backpack, my head swimming. My brain was pounding in my skull, hitting the sides with the same amount of force as a cannonball. It hurt. But that's what I got for thinking so much. I bent over, and reached for my backpack, unzipping the very front pocket, and slid my hand into it, rifling around for some of the extra cash I had left over from grocery shopping last month. It was all I had left. I closed my fingers around the small, but decent wad of cash, and pulled it out, standing up and handing it to Serah.

"Here. This should pay for your ticket, and buy you at least some food. I'm sorry, but you won't be able to play any games with that. It's all I have left." I replied, faking a soft smile. Serah didn't notice.

"Thanks Claire! I'll buy you a cotton candy!" She answered, giving me another hug. I laughed quietly.

"You don't have to. That money's for you. Buy what you want, okay? And don't forget to have fun. But, please do stop by Mother's grave, and tell her that I'm trying." I replied, Serah giving me a skeptical look about the last part. I wanted to slap myself.

"Trying what?" Serah asked, blinking her innocent eyes sweetly. I lifted my palms and shook my head, trying to brush it off.

"Don't worry about it Serah. Just tell her that, okay? She'll understand." This seemed to reassure Serah, and she nodded, although her blue irises still held the stain of her confusion, and curiosity. I let my face fall. There was that blasted pain again.

"Will do, Claire. And by the way, are you alright? You've been acting differently lately." _Lie, lie, lie, lie!_ I shook my head, smiling.

"No, why? I'm alright, I'm just tired. I've had a lot of tests at school, that's all." I answered, laughing it off as I tucked a piece of pink hair behind my ear. Serah wasn't convinced.

"Are you sure?" I nodded without hesitation. That's all I could do.

"Yes." Serah smiled. I widened my eyes, and jerked my head back a little when she hugged me a second later. _What?_

"Works for me. Oh, and I'm sleeping over at Lebreau's house tonight, if that's okay too." I nodded, resting my chin on the top of her head.

"That's fine. Just be careful, okay?" I replied, holding her close. Serah nodded.

"I will, don't worry. Just relax, okay?" I nodded, smirking against the top of her skull, her soft pink hair, so much like mine, tickling my nose.

"I will. Now why don't you go and get ready? I'll handle the dishes." I suggested, letting go of Serah, who smiled up at me before turning and running across the kitchen on her way to the stairs. I plopped my butt back down on the stool, and sighed heavily, reaching toward my textbook, notebook, and pencil to start working on my homework again, while my head swam and my vision blurred. This was too much to take in.

I opened my notebook and settled into my Physics, quickly wrapping up the problem that I had been working on and finishing the last two, being done with that before Serah was finished getting ready for going to Lebreau's house. I sighed, and stood up, shutting my textbook and notebook carefully, then gently covered the unpaid bills with the books, so that Serah wouldn't see them.

I was still intent on hiding them from her, since she was now suspicious of me, and my attitude. I knew I was a mystery, a book people desperately wanting to read, particularly boys, but now I was changing. I had to change. I had to become stronger. I had to grow up. And the only way to buy time to grow up was to keep hiding things from Serah, as pitiful as it sounds.

"Well, Claire! I'm all set and ready to go! I'll see you later!" Serah called from the front door as I started on the dishes. I turned around, water spray hitting my arms as they slid under the water, a slight burn coming from them.

"See you later, Serah! Mind Lebreau's mother, okay?" I called from the kitchen, Serah heading out the front door, the one that opened up to the sidewalk and street, not the beach. She smiled at me as she waved herself out, her key in her hand, then she was gone, the door shutting behind her.

I sighed, as a weight lifted itself off of my shoulders. I didn't have to worry about having to hide everything from Serah for a whole day, that day being tomorrow. Sure, I still had to deal with the kids from school, but still. They didn't matter to me. Serah's opinion and Serah's reaction was most important. Only Serah mattered. Only Serah and Serah alone.

I wrapped up cleaning the dishes, gently setting them aside after I had swathed the towel over them, wiping the excess water and soap off of their surfaces and setting them on the other towel I had laid out on the counter to dry. I dried my hands off, and closed the curtains, for the sky had darkened considerably, only a small sliver of sun remained, only enough to see where you were walking. Serah would have to hurry if she wanted to get to Lebreau's house in one piece.

I turned away from the sink, and started crossing the kitchen, my head lowered, as a wave of dizziness hit me. Although I had eaten, not that much, but I still had some food in my stomach for my bodily functions to turn into energy, I was still dizzy from thinking too much. I needed sleep. And I needed a lot of it. I sighed as I trudged up the stairs, flipping the switch on the wall, shutting off all of the lights the only light you could see now was the stars in the sky coming through the glass window of the backyard, the small dots of shimmering light dappling the porch.

I continued walking up the stairs, the rugged incline sapping more energy out of me, and my legs suddenly felt weak. My eyes flashed in alarm, and I quickly dipped my head, rolling forward across the floor when I reached the top of the stairs, my feet no longer able to lift up. I slowly came back up, using the doorframe of the bathroom as support, as I slowly rose, my eyes drooping. I was exhausted, but I shouldn't be this weak…What was wrong with me?

I stumbled into the shower after getting undressed, and fumbled for the faucet, slowly turning it, the warm water doing little to help me, only making me weaker as I struggled to clean myself. I was pathetic. I was beyond weak. I couldn't even keep myself up straight. A few minutes later, I stumbled out of the shower, and wrapped the towel around myself, and blew my hair dry, trying to do everything super fast, and probably out of order too.

After I got dressed and used the restroom, I walked out of the bathroom and saw the room spin. Not just spin. It started flying down toward the ground. Or I was falling toward the ground. The only thing I could feel was my shoulder hitting the floor, the warm air from the fan in the bathroom blowing through the open door onto my back, and my body go limp from exhaustion.

* * *

Beeping. Repetitive beeping. That's all I could hear. It broke through the pounding of bells in my head as my brain hit the sides of my skull, and a door opened.

"Claire, are you ready for school?" My sleepy eyes wouldn't open. They refused to open. I was too weak. Still.

I hadn't slept or relaxed in a long time. Every day was so full of stress, and now it was taking its toll on me. I fainted in the hallway trying to get to my bed to sleep. I fainted. In the hallway. On my way to my bed. What. The. Hell. How pathetic could I get?

Although I couldn't open my eyes to prove it with my sight, but, I could feel nothing but bright sunlight coming through the window in the hallway, the light warm and gentle on my side, my hands that were right beside my face, or rather my right hand that was lying a few feet away from my face, bent at the elbow, my left was across my body from under me, lying out under my breast on my left side, bent slightly at the wrist, near my thighs, the tops of my larger and longer fingers touching my thighs, the fingers on both hands limp, lifeless. My face didn't move, it was still in the shape of a frown, my eyebrows knit as if I was distressed, tears sliding down my face. My right knee was lying over my left, the ankle just above my left one, both legs limp, like my fingers. The side pieces of my hair framed my exhausted face, lying on or under my cheeks, my bangs framing my forehead, the back of my hair lying on the floor. I was unconscious. Comatose. I must have fainted from an impending nightmare. The fear that ran through me at that thought was staggering.

I heard footsteps coming toward me, but I couldn't move. I was just lying there, swimming between unconsciousness and semi-consciousness. I didn't know who it was. And I didn't care. I didn't have enough energy to wake up. Or get up. I couldn't even move. So, the footsteps came closer and closer, until I could hear a scream. A high pitched shrilly scream.

"Claire! CLAIRE! Wake up! HELP! CLAIRE!" I heard heavier footsteps come up the stairs, sounding like booted feet, or heavier shoes judging by the sound of the soles hitting the stairs, and a gasp echoed the next airy wail.

"This, this is Claire Farron?" The male voice asked, seeming to be looking down at me as he knelt down beside me, his fingers gently wiping my tears away, but they kept coming like an incessant waterfall. Great. I was crying while I was passed out in the middle of the hallway. Joyous. He seemed to flinch in surprise.

"She's crying? Stella, why is she crying?" He asked the female named Stella, who I knew to be one of my classmates, Stella Nox Fleuret, my boss's daughter and only friend. This male person, I didn't know him. Stella shifted beside me, seeming to lean her body against this male person.

"I don't know. But in all the times I've come over to get her for school, she's never been unconscious on the floor. I wonder what happened to her…Where's Mr. and Mrs. Farron? And Serah?" Stella asked, looking around. The male's fingers lingered at my watery eyes, brushing my bangs out of my face.

"I don't know, maybe they went to work? It's possible that they went to work, having woke her up since she's fully dressed for school." I was fully dressed for school? What? Maybe my nightmare drove me to getting dressed to leave the house or something. Or maybe I got dressed for school after I came out of the shower, since I was too tired to think straight. Maybe I wasn't thinking clearly when I was struggling to get ready for bed or school.

"I don't know, she never talks about them in class. Whenever we have family discussions she's always quiet. Maybe something happened to them." Stella replied, her voice muffled, as if she had her head buried in his shoulder. Fingers kept brushing at my tears, gently caressing my cheeks, the corners of my eyes.

"Well, we've got to do something, Stells. Maybe we should call her out sick so she can properly rest. You can stay here and watch over her while I get you and Claire's homework." The male suggested, Stella's sniffling subsiding.

"Yeah, that'll work. See if you can find some soup or something for me to make her when she wakes up. Her face is kind of reddish looking to me." The male nodded, stepping backward, then jabbed his toe into my stomach, firmly kicking me so that I rolled over onto my back. My hip screeched in protest as it was wrenched over, pain erupting through my hip, the tears falling harder. My arms ended up alongside my sides, although a few inches away, my legs apart from each other, only a few inches away from touching the other as well when my back hit the floor with a thump.

"Whoops." I heard a leg get slapped.

"Not so harsh! She's unconscious! For all we know, she could have gotten mugged last night and she could be hurt. After all, her back door is unlocked and the big wooden door is open." I heard the male snort as my chest settled and my bangs stopped moving, the feathery pieces on my right side lying on the edge of my right cheek, my left lying against the floor.

"I was just trying to see if she'd wake up with a little bit of outside force." A leg got slapped again.

"Why are you so insensitive?" Stella asked, sort of lecturing him like a mother would her child. The male started to laugh quietly.

"I'm not trying to be mean. I just got a bit too carried away, relax Stella." He soothed, quieting his laughter. I could've swore I heard her eyes narrow.

"Could you at least be a tiny bit gentler?" She asked, the rustle of her shirt giving away the fact that she was looking up at him as he walked over to my other side.

"Will do." Then arms slid under me, scooping me up off of the ground, fingers grabbing onto my knees and elbows, turning my body toward whoever was holding me, my head lying on the inside of his shoulder, my left arm hanging down alongside me, my right on my lap, in the crook of my lower body, right where it bent. My lips parted, air quietly blowing in and out of my mouth, barely any at all.

"She's breathing. But she's still crying, Stella." Stella got up from the ground, and put her hand on my forehead, seeming to check my temperature.

"She's got a fever. She must be crying to cool herself off, or from the pain that came from you kicking her in the gut." The male smiled, laughing slightly.

"Maybe so. But I wonder what happened to her. From the stories you've told me, she's pretty strong. As strong as she is beautiful…" He muttered the last part, Stella whipping her head toward him.

"Don't even think about making a pass at her while she's unconscious. She'll beat you to the ground when she wakes up, sick or not. She's just that impulsive." Stella replied, seeming to smile. The boy shifted me, so that he was holding me more securely.

"Alright, Stella, where is her room so that I can lay her down?" Stella walked past us, and opened a door, nodding her head.

"This one. Just stay with her for a few minutes while I call my mother to tell her I'm going to be absent from school today." The boy nodded as she ran past him, hurrying down the stairs.

"You got it." He answered, walking through the door, and crossing the room to my bed, bending over slightly as he moved me away from his body, his arms still cradling me, gently lowering me down to my bed, lying my cheek down on the pillow first, then sliding his hands out from under me when the rest of my body hit the soft, and fluffy surface of the bed.

"There you go, Claire. You just rest now, okay?" Fingers brushed at my cheeks again, wiping at the tears. The left side pieces of my hair that framed my face fell over my nose, sliding off of my temple. He gently brushed them aside to, tucking them behind my ear, his hand lingering on my face tenderly.

I can't explain how I felt when he touched my face. Whoever this person was, he was comforting me. I could feel warmth swelling up at the bottom of my stomach, and my rib cage started to thaw out, my heart beginning to warm up as a result of the comfort that was flying upward through my body. Whoever this guy was, he was bringing me back to life. He was making me feel alive.

I'd never felt like this before. This unknown but warm emotion surging up inside me, banishing away the cold of the frozen pain and fear that had crippled me for the past year or so finally weakened. It was still there, waiting to come out again, lurking in the darkness, but it had subsided for the time being. At least I could rest soundly without the shame of my weakness dogging every breath I took.

"Why are you crying, Claire? When you wake up, you'll have to tell me, alright?" I didn't answer. His hand lifted from my face at my silence, at my ceaseless tears, and he sighed.

"So you're wounded that deeply, huh? Well, then I guess I'm going to have to figure you out. That is if Stella will let me…" He seemed to turn his head to the door at the sound of footsteps, and I heard Stella burst into the room.

"I just called my mother. She said she's on her way here, that it'll only be about ten minutes. She said that she'll take care of Claire for us while we're at school." Stella explained, the boy nodding.

"Sounds good. I'll get her homework, unless you want to." Stella nodded.

"That's fine. I'll have to run to the office when we get there to call her out sick, since her parents are nowhere to be seen. Serah's not here either. It's probably good that she wasn't. Things would've been a lot worse than they already were." Stella replied, starting to walk out of the room. The boy brushed my cheek one last time, wiping more of my tears away, before running his fingers through my bangs tenderly.

"Everything will be alright, Claire. You'll see."


	3. Light of the Night Sky Part 2

**Author's Note**: Hey guys, its Guren. I finished another chapter. Or part of one. This was supposed to come later, but I decided to do it now. Don't think that it's going to change anything. I don't think anyway. Anywho, I made a small Fairy Tail reference, particularily pertaining to Erza Scarlet, since now Claire's going to start acting more like her from now on. I also seem to have made a small Naruto reference as well, this one centering around Uchiha Sasuke. No, Claire is not going to go pyscho. I love her too much. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. I've had this scene in my mind for at least a day now, and it was killing me. So, here it is. And happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Odin's incriptions, The pieces of the legend or engravings or whatever you want to call them, Naruto, Fairy Tail, and whatever else is obviously not mine. I don't own anything, alright? Does that sound good? I own nothing. I own nothing at all. By the way, I got the "I am Odin" or writings that talk about Odin from Final Fantasy wiki, so I don't own that either. I don't own anything!

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Softness. I could feel softness under my back, my legs, my thighs. I could feel softness. I opened my eyes, blinking against the fading sunlight; the scarce white dots in the sky letting me know that night was on its way. But I didn't care. The pain was gone, my chest throbbing with warmth.

I wanted to smile. I really did. I didn't feel any trace of sadness or pressure on my shoulders, or anything. I was free of the burdens that had weighed me down for the past few months, so long as I was in this dimension. Or wherever I was.

I turned my head, seeing nothing but luminous roses and petals, the stems of the flowers twined around my legs, holding me tenderly, their thorns sharp, but lying against my skin lest not to hurt me. I could feel the presence of another life form. It was foreign, yet holy in some way, bursting with a sort of hollow power, like they were once godlike.

I turned to the left, the sunlight raking its golden light along the edge of some blade, or sword. Black carvings stayed dim as the golden brilliance slid across their surface, my eyes processing them as battle scars. The blade was beautiful, metal, and jagged, truly a marvelous weapon for the tides of war. It reminded me of the slim, yet deadly Blaze Edge the warriors in the Sanctum military use.

It was my dream to one day fight with one of those swords. To know that I was strong enough to be rewarded with the Blaze Edge, the best weapon known to Cocoon's military task force was a dream worth fulfilling. Only the problems were that I wasn't in the military and I had no desire to be in the military, as well as the fact that I had to be strong and fearless, also emotionless and cold. In truth, I already was the latter two, but the first ones, my faith was shot when it came to them. I needed confidence, and that was something I didn't have. Not anymore.

Only the best of the best use those swords, and it shows when you meet them face to face. It was something I had to accept: I was never going to be the best, or the strongest. Not like this person. This person or holy power must be a first class warrior or knight.

I turned my head to look up at the sky when a white blur moved across the edge of my sight, the clouds beginning to move faster, wind blowing across the meadow I was lying on, the rose petals flying upward alongside my head, sliding past my blue eyes. My pink hair lifted upward, carried by the petals, my lips curling upward slightly. I couldn't hold back my smile that time. I had to smile.

Footsteps, footsteps that shook the air like thunder pounded toward me, as the sun slid back under the horizon, the sky completely taken over by the stars and the silvery purple streaks of light that crackled across the sky. Despite their fearsome display, they didn't seem hostile. They seemed to be playing, just weaving together with each other as they dominated the sky, streaking from star to star in a luminous light show. My eyes widened as I watched them, the footsteps coming ever closer, not slowing or failing to surprise me.

I sat up, the hem of the dress I was wearing blowing against my legs as the wind rippled over me, purple flecked and dotted with rose petals, the holy power washing over me. I looked to the right, seeing a shape, a shape running toward me. More like cantering toward me. Its strides were in sync with the crackling light above my head, each footfall in time to the birth of another streak, almost as if it were orchestrated to be this perfect. This thing…This thing was in tune with nature.

I watched speechlessly as the shape, which I could now identify as a horse, continued toward me, its white body shining in the brilliant light the streaks created as they shattered the night sky, green metal plate like things flaring up when the light fell on them, the horse's strides rising to a gallop as it trailed fire behind its thundering hooves, the heavenly streaks raining down over top of it, stabbing into the ground as it ran, its strides flawless.

It never skipped a beat. It never screwed up its rhythm. It was probably the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It beat the Annual Bodhum Fireworks as far as beauty, heavenliness, and all around awesomeness. This thing, it was absolutely amazing. It was the coolest thing my eyes had ever seen, my brain had ever processed. I couldn't get over how spectacularly cool it was. It filled my veins with warmth, boiled my blood, and brought a joyous smile to my face. And yet, it still didn't stop. Not for only a few more seconds.

The horse gradually slowed down, the lightning that rained down from the heavens receding, backing off, drifting back up into their celestial playground. The horse slid to a stop, lifting its upper body up into the air, carefully balancing itself on its hind legs, its beautiful purple eyes looking down at me as it roared, the sound of it shaking the very air like the previous sound of thunder, just as gorgeous, just as loud, just as amazing. There wasn't anything about it that didn't scream beautiful or flawless. It was absolutely wonderful.

The wind ruffled my long pink hair, the thick mass blowing across my shoulders, reaching out toward the horse as it dropped back onto all fours, shaking its head and flicking its ears, rose petals fluttering into existence, their surfaces glowing with a subtle red sparkle, energy coursing through them as it rippled through them. I smiled as locks of hair slid past my ears, elongating outward to gently caress the muzzle that tenderly bumped up against my chest, nostrils opening and closing as its warm breath blew against my midsection. I lifted my hand, and gently rubbed the horse's muzzle, the horse's four purple eyes closing, as it rubbed the side of its muzzle against my chest, taking a step forward.

I laughed, and held it gently, laying my cheek on the bridge of its nose, right below its eyes, the horse whickering quietly, softly, as I held it. We stood like that for a few minutes, the wind rippling the hem of the dress I wore, blowing across the low laced scalloped cut of the neckline, the spot called my breastplate showing, the straps of it, the thick straps bumping against my shoulders. The pink pleated layer underneath the black material that was on the top swirling across my legs, the black material doing the same, the two echoing each other's movements.

The horse gently pulled backwards, loosening my grip. I let go, just rubbing my knuckles against its nose. Where was I? And what was this horse doing here? Had it come from me? Had I called it here? It didn't make any sense. It didn't make any at all. I was sleeping in my bed at my beach house in Bodhum, sick with a fever and crying from the loss of my parents, my inability to provide for Serah, my lack of strength, and the shame of having to resort to crying myself to sleep. This wasn't happening. It was all in my head.

The horse blinked its four violet eyes simultaneously, all at once, and bobbed its head, pawing at the ground, its hoof directly in line with the blade on the ground. I looked over at the marvelous weapon, then down at my right hand, my fingers slightly tense. Could I wield it? Even in my own dream or fantasy? I glanced back at the horse, and it nodded, turning slightly, so that its back was beside me, probably encouraging me to ride it.

I looked down at my clothes, the dress I was wearing. Surely it was improper to ride a horse in a dress? Not only did that sound wrong and vulgar, it also brought pain to my thighs. I shook my head and cringed at the thought of squatting on the horse's back, trying to keep the wind from flying up in between my legs. I looked back at the horse, which nodded its head.

I didn't understand what happened next. I felt my body move on instinct. I bent my arms at the elbows, and balled my fists, closing my eyes. I could feel power; see rose pink light cutting across the petal dappled ground in an arcane circle, a smooth humming noise echoing through the air as it circled me, like a sparkly cloud, slowly swirling up my body, veiling me from view. I looked down, the dress blowing away into luminous rose petals, my pink hair flying upward toward the sky, my blue eyes closing as the wonderfully sweet power rippled through me, one pulse blowing the rose petals that had once been my dress off of my body in one simultaneous ring, bright white light enclosing me in its embrace. I closed my eyes, and held my arms out and away from my body, extended to their full length from right to left.

I felt clothes, materials weaving together along my body, soft and silky against my skin, warm with the rose cloud that still shimmered through the air around me like a trembling aura. I could feel the presence of a sleeveless shirt over the top of my body, rippling along my midsection, letting me know it covered my whole upper body. Then twin slight flutters tickled my upper thighs, bands wrapping themselves around my waist, which I identified to be a pair of shorts and a skirt. Once the shirt, shorts, and skirt were finished materializing, a slightly heavier material fell down on the soft and silky clothes, the ring of metal against metal echoing through the air, as more metal came down on me, covering my chest, connecting itself along my arms and legs, all the while clicking against each other. The light brightened, flaring up brighter than it had been, and my eyes automatically closed as the rose colored cloud swirled around me, increasing its speed, spinning me around in its wake as the light flared up.

Once the light receded, my blue eyes opened, and I stood straight and tall, the tingle of magic vibrating the air in the palm of my right hand, as my blue eyes looked toward it, the blade that had been on the ground flashing into existence in my right hand, my fingers closing around the middle rod that connected both sides of the sword, my eyebrows narrowing, while the red cloud dissipated, pieces of shimmering rosy magic blowing in the fading wind, swirling past my cheeks, my eyes, my face. My heart pounded once against the side of my rib cage as the holy power coursed through my veins, strength roaring through me.

I felt strong. I was strong. I felt like I could take on almost anything. The horse nodded its head, closing its eyes, its lips seeming to curl up as it "smiled". I looked down at myself, and widened my eyes. My chest and torso was covered by a plate of luminous silver armor, the same carvings that adorned the plates on the horse's armor engraved into mine as well, my arms covered with lined metal up to the middle of my upper arm on each arm, the same thing with my legs, only the metal stockings went up to mid thigh, still covering my knees. My feet were covered in silver boots, sort of like the ones the knights in the fairy tales wore, the starlight that shimmered down flashing across the shiny surface as proof. My lower abdomen was draped with a metal pleated miniskirt, plates of metal covering the pleats, and short shorts underneath the skirt. My hair was long and loose, free from any headdresses or helmets. It blew in the wind, free as a bird. I tightened my right hand around the duel blade, the silver metal gloves rubbing against each other with a soft metallic screech. I was strong. With this armor, I could do anything.

I swung the duel blade beside myself, rose petals flying off of it to dance and weave into my hair, red-pink shimmering magic materializing around me for split seconds before fading away, lingering traces of the cloud that had circled me just a little bit ago. The horse snorted, and pawed the ground, anxious to run. I nodded solemnly, and took a step toward the horse, walking over to its side. I couldn't really jump in this armor, but it was the only way I could get up onto the horse's back. I put the duel blade into my left hand and put my right onto the horse's back, pushing down as I lifted my legs up into the air holding them close to each other as I swung up onto the horse's back, bending my knees into the saddle, not seeing any stirrups. I clutched my legs to the sides of the horse's spine, my hands pulling apart the duel blade into two separate swords, the horse rearing up into the air, the red shimmering cloud swirling around us, lifting rose petals from the ground. I narrowed my powdery eyes, and gritted my teeth.

"Let's ride!" The horse came back down on all fours, and took off, not even skipping a beat. I leaned forward, as the horse's head rose and fell like a rocking horse, although it was galloping, full speed.

I felt heat rise up from the ground behind us, as the fire that had trailed after it when I had first seen it flared into existence, the streaks of lightning stabbing into the ground around us. My eyes stayed forward, as I held the duel blades in each of my armored hands, ready for anything. The lightning kept up with us, stabbing into the ground and shattering the night sky, as we raced onward, the roses underneath the horse's feet breaking away, rose petals flying out behind us, getting burned by the fire, but still keeping their shape, only glowing with the luminous red glaze I had seen before. It amazed me. The holy power rose inside me, beating against my rib cage in time with my pounding heart, demanding release. Was this _my_ strength? The power _I_ possessed? The full extent of what _I_ could do?

Still, we rode on, the horse cutting through the meadow at inhuman speed, faster than any normal horse, the stars raining down on us, soft against the stark streaks of lightning that fell closer, and closer to our sides. The white dots fell to the ground like shooting stars, some swirling around me for a few seconds before fading out, not dealing me any harm. My blue eyes widened as the horse slowly began to rise up into the sky, running on an invisible track, the shooting stars taking over for the lightning, the white sparkles trailing beside us as the horse ran faster still, my legs firmly clamped to its sides as fear rose in me; The fear of falling off and to my death.

Now, we were racing through the sky, the cloud breaking away as the horse tore through them, running toward the full moon that now shed its silvery light toward us, like a spotlight in a way, my armor glistening in its warm glow. The holy power continued to roar through my veins, undaunted by the steadily rising fear, trampling over it like it was running down the homestretch of a horse race, shooting through my body with extraterrestrial speed.

My eyes flashed to the shimmering stars that flew through the air alongside the horse and I, their light flashing across my eyes like fire, giving me hope, and strength. The strength that already flowed through my veins accepted the stars', and I felt power boiling under the surface of my skin, banishing my previous weakness from my body. I was revived. I could take on anything now. I was saved. I smiled as the horse still ran, its legs picking up the pace, the horse rocking me back and forth in an endless rhythm. I embraced the warmth in my chest as the horse slowly descended, the moonlight shining down on us directly, the stars slowly fading away from beside us, the streaks of lightning gradually returning, replacing the stars. Happiness swelled through me, following the strength that roared through my veins. I was happy, for the first time in a long while. Finally.

"Mom, Dad…Why did you have to leave me, and Serah?" I froze when I heard the voice, jolting backwards, my hair flying over my shoulders, sliding across the sides of my face as it twisted into a shocked frown. That was _my_ voice.

The horse sped up its decline, its head leaning forward slightly as it steadily ran downward at a somewhat steep slope, and I felt my body sliding forward. I clamped my thighs against the saddle tighter, trying to stay in one place, and managed to stay still, although the price was steep. My thighs screeched in pain, the agonizing stab burning through my legs, and I staggered, my upper body curling in on itself as I screamed.

It was at that moment, that everything fell apart. The horse tripped, and I fell forward, my eyes widening in surprise. I flattened my hands against the handles of the swords and put my palms onto the sides of the horse's neck gently, trying to balance myself. My head turned around, looking back at the moon, where the sound of sobbing was coming from. My lips parted, a lonely tear falling down the side of my face as my eyes widened in horror.

"If only I'd been stronger…If only I'd tried harder…If only I hadn't been so weak!" Pain stabbed through me again at my thighs, and I screamed again, the horse tripping a second time, thankfully on solid ground now, but still causing me to fly forward. I regained my balance, and turned back, looking at the moon, a tear rolling down the other side of my face.

It was me, a year ago, curled up into a tight ball, my hands on my face, my voice shaking as I sobbed, the sound of tears falling echoing across the meadow, roaring into my ears. I was crying. That was me a year ago. My eyes widened at the memory that flashed in front of my eyes.

It had been after my mother died. When the color in her skin had faded away along with the light in her eyes, I had dropped to the hospital floor, broken, and in tears. That was when I lost all hope, all strength of heart, everything. I had just lost everything that mattered to me. The only thing I had left was my little sister Serah. She was the only thing that remained in my life. She was the most important thing to me now. That was when the binds of the promise to take care of Serah to the fullest of my ability had shackled me, wrapping around me in constricting chains. I was bound ever since that day. That cursed day. The day, when I became weak.

Tears rolled down both sides of my face, as I let the sadness and weakness overtake me, the strength ebbing away, the horse tripping over its own feet. I cried, my sobs echoing the image of me in the moon, the sounds of our tears being shed in time with the other.

A jolting pain shot through me, and I bent back ward, gritting my teeth as I sucked in air, the metal armor that had once protected me beginning to crack. It screeched, pieces of metal breaking away, before it completely shattered, the silver metal flying past my face, my eyes throbbing at the sight of it. The skirt, shirt, and shorts ripped away, leaving me open to the wind, only covered by that shimmering red cloud and rose petals. I had no strength left. This was who I am now. I was no longer strong. The duel blades in each of my hands shattered as well, and I clutched my arms around myself, screaming from the jolting pain that tore through me, burning anything it could, combusting anything and everything in its path. I was on fire. I was _literally_ burning from the inside out. I had no one to save me now. Just myself, and I couldn't count on myself. My faith was shot.

The horse's head bent forward, and I flew forward, tumbling off of its back, heading for the ground, the roses that now bared their fangs at me like snarling dogs. I closed my eyes and screamed as loud as I could, hoping that the high pitched sound of it would be enough to break this dream and wake me up. But that didn't happen. A hand grabbed my wrist, and swung me up into the air, the dress that I had been wearing before I had switched it out from armor materializing when the red cloud blew away, my eyes widening.

I knew I had to act. If I didn't do something, I was going to crash into the roses under me and come up with scars on my face. I had to move. I swung my legs up over my head, being sure to keep them together, and somersaulted at the peak of the hand's toss, and started falling back down to the ground, my feet under me. I heard the whistle of wind against metal, and flashed my eyes toward it, the glimmer of light that had glowed across the carvings of the duel blades now back, the hand holding them on its armored grip. I smiled, and landed on the ground in a crouch, quickly standing up straight, holding my arms out for balance, and separating my feet, a flurry of rose petals swirling around us, glowing brightly. I felt the tremble in the air as the hand bared its sword, and moved, the entire space around us vibrating.

I looked back over my shoulder, seeing nothing but armor, green armor, a sword, and shield, a godlike human standing behind me, calm and level headed. _So this is the holy power I felt earlier…_I turned my entire body back toward the knight, and faced it evenly. I knew what this was now. I knew what was going on. This was an Eidolon, a messenger of the Goddess Etro. According to the legends, they were the ones that brought hope when everything was lost, therefore being referred to as "salvation" by cursed l'Cie. But that didn't make sense. I wasn't a l'Cie. I hadn't been marked by a fal'Cie, as far as I knew. And even if I had been, why was this Eidolon appearing now of all times?

I let my eyes rove across the beautiful armor, the metal plates, giving the embodiment of my salvation a once over. My eyes drifted to the shield, and I quickly started analyzing it. I could feel the presence of a hollow power emanating from that shield, and I was curious. Black carvings in the metal caught my eyes, and I squinted. I could barely make out the symbols, let alone read them. I barely even knew they were there; they were so hard to make out. I cleared my throat, and faced the knight evenly.

"Keeper of truth. Destroyer of corruption. Odin." I read in my clear, musical voice. It made sense now. This was Odin, the Eidolon of lightning. I smiled. There was more to it than that. All of the pieces started to fall into place.

"By grace of Etro, let thunder herald your arrival. Come forth, sunderer of falsehood. A name in blood, a pact of truth. Odin shall rise his bond eternal and unyielding." I recited, closing my eyes and bowing my head. That explained the thunderous noise I had heard when I first saw him, although he was in the shape of a horse. I continued, remembering another piece of the legend.

"My weapon is light, my steed is thunder. I am the herald of truth. I am Odin." The knight bowed its head back to me, treating me as an equal. I lifted my head at the same time as he did, and blinked.

"Odin, are you the salvation I have prayed for?" I asked, my voice coming out stronger than I had imagined it would. Odin nodded his head, shifting slightly, his shield glowing as the moonlight glanced across it, the sound of sobbing gradually receding.

That answered my question, but why didn't I believe it? I wasn't a l'Cie, so why was Odin here? He was an Eidolon I had read about. He was the master of thunder, the warrior of thunder, the knight of rose. All of the pieces fit together, but why was he here? I was going to have to reread that legend when I woke up. I inclined my chin as I dipped my head respectfully.

"What am I supposed to do?" Odin blinked, and slowly moved his sword forward, spinning it in his hand so that the edge on one of the connected swords was pointed at me, and gently poked my heart with the point of it, the gesture nearly making me stagger backwards.

I looked back at him when he pulled his sword away, and put my hand over my heart. Resolve roared through me, as I realized what he meant. He was telling me to believe in myself, to have faith in my strength. He was telling me to ignore what I called my sins and move on. He was telling me to be strong for my sister, and to care for with every ounce of power I had. He was telling me to trust in my abilities, and never doubt myself. He was telling me to embrace my dreams, because as long as I had confidence, they would happen. He was telling me to be a warrior.

Odin nodded back at me, and I nodded back, dipping my head respectfully. I held my right hand out, closing my eyes, feeling the tingle of power swirling around my right arm, and focused. The image of a Blaze Edge, the sword I wanted to have flashed before my eyes, and I smiled. It took two seconds before the rub of a handle to alert me that something was in my hand. I gripped it with my palm, and opened my eyes, swinging it on my hand right beside myself, the moonlight dancing off of its surface, the black carvings along the blade the only thing disrupting the flow of the moonlight. I smiled.

"Then, I'll become like you. I'll be the one who represents the heart of a warrior. I won't back down, I won't give up. I will be strong." I answered Odin's silent nod, and he shifted, not smiling, but seeming to.

He jumped forward and shifted back into horse form, all of his armor and plates moving around until he took on the shape of a horse as he flew over my head, his duel blades in his mouth as he landed on the ground, not breaking stride. I turned, the image of me in the moon long gone, as I swung my Blaze Edge alongside myself in a silent goodbye as he raced away from me, the fire extending out behind him, the lightning beginning to fall.

I nodded, and watched him run, feeling saved. In truth, he had saved me. He had brought me salvation. He had made me feel stronger. Now that I was now as whole as I could be on the inside, I had to figure out a way to deal with the rest of my problems. I watched the moonlight shine down on the black engravings in my Blaze Edge, and I turned back to Odin, watching him run off into the night sky. I smiled, and blinked my powdery eyes, as a single bolt of lightning shattered the night.

"White flash, call upon my name."


	4. Light of the Night Sky Part 3

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! Two updates in one day! I'm sorry, I really like this story. It's fun to write, and I'm not getting bored with it. So, anyway, the "Woooooooowwwww" part is supposed to be like the "Wooooooowwwww" bit in Fairy Tail wheneevr someone does somethign that deserves a "Woooooowwwww". Remember I said Claire was going to start acting like Erza Scarlet? Well, she is. Maybe not in the confessions part of the chapter, but still. So I introduce Noctis formally in this chapter, so, yeah. I LOVE this story. Enough said. Oh, and do you guys like the name I gave Noctis's kingdom? I couldn't find the name of it online, so I made one up. Pretty creative huh? *Sarcasm*

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, or Fairy Tail, as far as the "Woooooooowwwww" and "WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO DO?" bit. I still don't own anything. I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING!

* * *

My ice blue irises, tired and exhausted, yet eager, opened, and blinked, the cloudiness that comes when you first open your eyes when you wake up slowly fading away with each passing second. I blinked again, and looked around, seeing nothing but my normal stuff, my dresser in the corner, the pile of clothes stacked in the other corner, the open window, the sunlight glowing through it. I was lying down in my bed, not a first.

"So, it looks like you're awake." I turned my head, the familiar face of Mrs. Fleuret, Stella's mother as well as my boss. My eyes widened at the sight of her, and I sat up quickly, a wave of dizziness overtaking me, but I ignored it.

"Mrs. Fleuret! I'm so sorry to bother you at this hour! You didn't need to look after me; I'm healthy as a horse!" I exclaimed, flipping my covers back, and swinging my legs over, leaping to my feet. She laughed quietly.

"Miss Farron, sit your derriere back onto that bed, if you'd be so kind. You're not well enough yet to be out jumping around in this light." I lifted an eyebrow. Her accent was slightly disturbing. Tenebrae obviously didn't lack in pleasant sounding boys, that's for sure.

I complied, plopping my butt back down onto the bed, and sighed, my hand on my knees when I crossed them over each other, my hair falling over my shoulders as I looked down. I had caused so much trouble for everyone, all because I was too weak to take care of myself. What kind of warrior was I supposed to be if I couldn't take care of myself?

"Mrs. Fleuret, I'm alright now. You don't have to stick around." I replied quietly, closing my eyes. I heard a soft snort come up from the floor, where her hands busily folded clothes.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, Miss Farron. I just checked your temperature, and it read 103 degrees. You're ill with a high fever and weak with fatigue. Lie down, and relax." She answered, standing up, and regarding me with a stern look, like the one my mother used to give me whenever I misbehaved.

It was a bit frightening to see the bitter scowl on my boss's face. Slightly disturbing too, to say the least. But, I couldn't do anything. I could only obey what she said. It was ingrained in me. Whenever an adult got stern with you, you had to obey without question. It was what my late mother had told me. I had to obey.

I lay back, swinging my legs back up into bed, my stocking covered feet rubbing up against each other, as I laid my head back, resting it on the pillows behind me. Mrs. Fleuret came up onto the bed and sat down beside me, bringing her basket of clothes with her.

"Are you alright, Miss Farron?" I looked up at her, and smiled.

"Just Claire is fine, and yes, I'm okay." I answered, Mrs. Fleuret nodding.

"Okay, Claire. So do you feel dizzy, or nauseous?" I shook my head. It was the truth, alright? I didn't feel sick at all. I could beat someone down the stairs if I wanted to.

"Nope, I'm fine. I can go to school, if it's still open." Mrs. Fleuret glanced at the clock on the nightstand.

"It closed like ten minutes ago. Stella will be here soon, she just texted me." I sighed.

"So Serah'll be back in about two hours then, right?" I muttered, the question rhetorical. Mrs. Fleuret blinked.

"Is there something you're hiding from me? Claire?" My blue eyes flashed toward her in heartbeats.

Could she know as well? Did she see the bills down on the countertop? Did I forget to put them away before I fainted? Did I misstep in my desperate struggle to hide everything from the rest of the world? Or are all of the demons I'm trying to bury, trying to overcome biting me in the butt?

She couldn't know. She wasn't the type of person to go looking through other people's business. Being a shop owner, you'd think she would, since her Lolita shop wasn't as popular as say, the beachy-sporty shop next door that I tended to shop at.

Serah was a Lolita freak. She bought everything that had to do with it. She spent all of her Christmas money on skirts, corsets, headbands, dresses, shirts. Her whole closet was filled with clothes that were either just her size, or too big for her. She kept trying to get me to wear Lolita, saying how my beachy-sporty look didn't fit me, that I needed an extra touch of femininity. The one I secretly was interested in.

So, she loaned me skirts that were too big for her. My favorite was the black ruffled one I was wearing right now. It was short, yes, but it made my legs look good and I honestly loved how soft it was on my thighs. The material was feather light and cotton soft, and it was my favorite piece to wear.

But we couldn't even be thinking of buying clothes what with our bank account as low as it is. Mrs. Fleuret's clothes costed a fortune, even with the discount I got as an employee. Maybe that's why they hardly get customers. The prices are sky high. And the discount isn't even all that much, but every little bit counts, especially when it came to little Serah Farron.

"Hello? Claire?" I sighed, and nodded, turning my head back to Mrs. Fleuret with a resolute look on my face. I had to tell her. Even if a little bit.

"I'm poor." I answered flatly, pointing down at the pile of clothes on the floor with bored eyes. Mrs. Fleuret gave me a funny look.

"You're what?" She asked, and I closed my eyes, lifting my palms up in a shrug.

"I told you what I'm hiding. It was one time and one time only." I replied, shaking my head as my eyes closed. I wasn't going to say it again. I told her once, _not_ telling her twice. It was hard enough trying to say it the first time.

"Claire Farron, you have got to spill! What are you hiding?" She asked, leaning forward like a gushing teenager. I turned away, snorting.

"Nope, Nah-dah. Not spilling." I shot back, shaking my head stubbornly.

"CLAIRE FARRON, you will tell me what you're hiding." Stern voice again. Had to do as she said.

"Alright. I'll tell you. You know how Serah hardly shops at your store anymore?" I started, laying my hands in my lap. Mrs. Fleuret thought for a second.

"Yeah, I noticed that. Why, is she okay with the clothes she already has?" I shook my head, and bit back tears.

"No, she's fine. We're just poor. We don't have a lot of money." Mrs. Fleuret sighed.

"That's to be expected. The economy isn't exactly perfect right now, you know. Even my shop is suffering from this horrible economic crisis. I told Stella we should go back to Tenebrae, since we did a lot better there, but she refuses because she doesn't want to leave you." I flinched in surprise. She didn't want to leave me? What? Mrs. Fleuret noticed my sudden movement.

"Struck a chord, didn't it? Well, it's true. Stella doesn't want to leave Cocoon because she loves you. Not in the weird, Yuri kind of way, but you're her only friend. The only one she can count on." I shook my head.

"Stella's got tons of friends that are better than me. I'm the bitter fool who can't support herself or her family. Stella can do everything I can't. And there's a lot." I replied, my head down. Mrs. Fleuret laughed slightly.

"Well, yes, Stella is popular, but, you're the one she looks up to the most. Well, the only one she looks up to. She admires you. She thinks you're strong, beautiful, brave, and a bit quick-tempered, but, you're the fire that opposes the icy softness of her personality. You two are peas in a pod. I remember when you two were small, like four or five, your mother and I put you two in the same room together and found you guys sleeping on the floor when we came back and got you. Stella and you were hugging each other closely, dolls scattered all around you. You two had been playing together. Ever since then, you two were inseparable. Gradually, Stella picked up on some of your traits, as well as developed her own. But all through it, Stella only really wanted to be more like you. She always looks at herself in the mirror, wondering if she's as pretty as you are. It's sad, really. But, I can't blame her. She's beautiful like an angel, and you're just that way naturally. She has to try hard in order to be what she considers to be "beautiful" which is to look like you on your best day. And no matter how hard she tries, she knows she won't ever measure up." I let my mouth drop open, as my eyes widened, tears beginning to well up in my eyes.

Stella wanted to be like me? So all those days she came into school with salt streaks running down her face and pieces of eye makeup on her cheeks were the results of her trying to look more like me? I meant that much to Stella? Me, the bitter fool meant that much to the Angel of Cocoon? It didn't make sense. It couldn't be true. It had to be lies.

"So when she came up the stairs this morning to see if you were ready for school and found you lying there on the ground, unconscious, she thought you were dead. She was crying on the phone when she called me for help. She cares about you." I closed my eyes, putting my hands over my mouth as tears spilled over.

I knew what she was saying was true. There was no trace of a lie in her voice. I meant more to Stella than I knew. There was no question. I had to tell Mrs. Fleuret the truth. I had to tell her about my parents, the bills, the fridge, Serah, the amusement park. All of it. Not after she told me Stella's deepest and darkest secret. I had to come clean, there was no way I was going to lie to her now.

"My parents…They're dead…" I continued, my voice beginning to break. Mrs. Fleuret swung her head toward me, her eyes wide.

"What?" She asked, putting her hands on my shoulders and looking me straight in the eyes.

"My parents, they're both dead. They've been dead for a few years now. I just decided to keep it to myself and try to handle everything on my own, which resulted in…The bills being unpaid and overdue." I shook my head into my palms, crying harder now, grief taking over me.

"I can't do it! I can't be a motherly figure to Serah and keep this roof over our heads at the same time! I can't do anything on my own! I have to grow up, get stronger! I had a dream, the most wonderful dream I've ever had, where I was strong. I was beautiful, I was everything I ever wanted." I sobbed, putting my hands on the insides of her shoulders, Mrs. Fleuret's shocked and frozen face staring back at me listlessly.

"You were lying to me? To Stella? To everyone? Why Claire?" I shook my head, tears flying off of my face.

"I-I was being selfish. I wanted to do everything on my own, and I wanted to bear it alone. I thought it was only my burden to bear. I thought that if I could handle it myself, I would be an adult. I would've grown up. I was running away from the fact that I'm not as strong as Stella thinks I am." I replied, smiling bitterly.

"But it doesn't matter now. The secret's out, and my sins are lying on the table. What are you going to do? Send me to the Sanctum's daycare center? Have me branded as a l'Cie so that I can spend the rest of my days praying for salvation, not that I already don't? Or, I know, have me purged to Pulse so that I'm out of your way? Go ahead, I'm ready." I laughed callously, my cruel smile bringing astonishment to Mrs. Fleuret's face as she looked down at it. She shook her head.

"And hurt Serah? No, I would never-" I snorted.

"But you want to! You want to send me off somewhere for therapy, or to a foster parent. I can handle this. I'm sixteen. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself on my own. I don't need love." I answered, laughing maliciously, my blue eyes glowing with the strength of my pain and bitterness.

"You're wrong, Claire. You do need love. And I think…I might know who can give it to you. You're so cold, bitter, and lonely. You've never been held or touched have you? Or were you too long to realize it?" I shook my head to the left once.

"I don't care. Love isn't something I need. All it does is hurt. I'm suffering now because I loved my parents, and they were wrenched out of my life. What kind of love is that? I loved my mother and father! I truly did! But where are they now? Buried in the ground beside that wretched amusement park! Wasn't love supposed to save everything? Did it stop my parents from dying? No! It didn't." I cried, tears falling from my face as I started breaking down. Mrs. Fleuret smiled gently, and put her hand on my head, which I jerked away from.

"Don't touch me!" She widened her eyes in surprise, pulling her hand away as I narrowed my watery blue eyes, pain running through me.

I wanted my mother. I wanted strength. I wanted comfort. I wanted my father. I wanted my family. I wanted to be alive and whole. I didn't want to be broken anymore. I wanted to have my parents hold me and comfort me like they used to before they died. I didn't want to be in pain anymore. I didn't want to hurt like this.

"Claire, I know someone who can warm that icy heart of yours." She answered sternly, regarding me with a firm look. I blinked through more tears.

"I won't break." I snarled back, shifting backwards, Mrs. Fleuret's face growing dark.

"I promise you, he will help you. Because, he knows you. He knows your pain." I laughed once.

"HA! Fat chance of that!" I mocked, smiling bitterly. She ignored the comment, and took both of my hands in hers.

"Claire, he knows you. He knew your father." I widened my eyes.

"Impossible! My father is dead! How could he possibly know my dead father?" I demanded, staring her right in the face. She smirked.

"Remember when you went with your father to what you call Crystallis?" I nodded. I remembered. It was when I was only six, before any of this happened.

"Yeah, I remember." I answered, my voice softer now, as I slowly was pacified. She held me close, rubbing my head gently. I didn't push her away. Despite the fact that it was slightly disturbing, I needed it.

"He was there. This person who can help you, who can heal your broken heart, he knew you back then. So when he saw you earlier today, lying on the floor, he nearly broke down. Not from pain or sadness. But from surprise. Stella had been telling him all about you since he got here two days ago. He lives with us, in the guest room next to Stella's room. He came here because his family didn't want him caught up in the royalty issues occurring in Crystallis. It was coming down to whose blood was spilled the most, and they were afraid that the other family would kill him next. So, he came with us when we left Crystallis from being on vacation. So, Claire, he in fact, knows your pain. Not completely, but he can relate." I widened my eyes.

I remembered a little boy, a little dark haired boy who kept following me when I moved from room to room, tailing my father when I went with him on that business trip when I was six. Was that little boy the one she was talking about? The little boy that the nobles had called the "Prince"?

"When I walked into your room this morning, I saw him touching your face. The look of concern and determination of his face was astounding. He was scared for you, even if he didn't know you all that well. But just by holding you, limp in his arms, he sort of does. He knows that you're in pain, and that you're crying out for comfort, for love, because you no longer feel anything. You're afraid, aren't you?" I couldn't help but nod.

I was afraid. I was afraid of opening up to someone else and then losing them in a flash. In a flash of cold cruel lightning. I was afraid to open up and love someone because I didn't want to have to feel that pain, the pain of losing someone you cared about again. I was hurt enough already. Mrs. Fleuret smiled against the top of my head.

"But you can't let fear stop you, okay? And as for the other things, I'll help you, even though you didn't ask for help. I'll see what I can do, alright? And I won't send you off somewhere, okay?" I nodded, tears sliding down the sides of my face.

"Thank you. I appreciate it, a lot. But, by the way, who was that guy that was with Stella this morning? Is he the same guy you were just talking about? I wanted to ask you that." Mrs. Fleuret turned to me, and smiled.

"Noctis Lucis Caelum. Prince of-" I connected the dots. It didn't take me long.

"Crystallis." I replied, blinking. Mrs. Fleuret clobbered me over the head.

"That's not the country's name, you know." I nodded and waved my hand, the tears I had just wiped off of my face flying off of my fingers and dropping to the floor like salty rain.

"Yeah, yeah." I answered, just as Stella and the fool burst into the room, Stella's celeste eyes brimming with tears at the sight of me sitting up.

"Claire! You're ok!" She took off across the room, and tackled me in a bear hug, holding onto me tightly. I smiled and laughed, Mrs. Fleuret hopping off of the bed and heading to the floor to continue folding her clothes, her work being done. I turned my head to Stella.

"I'm alright now. No need to worry." I soothed, rubbing her back tenderly. Stella just sobbed into my neck, much to my utter disapproval. I heard a snort come from the doorway, and I lifted my head toward it, my eyes turning icy in a second.

"Who is that?" I whispered into Stella's ear, my eyes never leaving his. She lifted her head up, and wiped her tears away, then smiled.

"Oh, that's Noctis Lucis Caelum." I flung my covers back, and swung my legs over the side of the bed, and stood up, taking a few steps toward him.

I flicked my eyes up and down, scanning his relaxed posture, the way his arms were crossed over his chest, his steel blue eyes that glowed with a twinge of uneasiness. He could tell I was going to do something. But he wasn't sure what I was going to do. I smoothed my shirt and skirt down, and lifted my eyes to his. He was taller than me, but not by much, just two or three inches.

"You're the one who was with Stella before?" I asked smoothly, my blue eyes emotionless. He nodded, his face questioning.

I didn't even think. I just flung my right fist forward, punching him across the jaw, and sending him flying as I followed through, my right foot swinging up into the air for balance, the wind ruffling my skirt and hair, as I scowled.

"WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO DO?" I shouted, Noctis flying down the stairs toward the wall, his red face the only thing I could see as I snarled in the doorway.

"Woooooooowwwww." Mrs. Fleuret chorused, watching Noctis crash into the wall with a thud then slid to the floor, lying flat on his back. Stella rolled her eyes.

"What a Tsundere…" She muttered, as I started growling, waving my right fist in the air threateningly toward Noctis. Mrs. Fleuret smiled.

"Toward who, might I ask?" She questioned, curious. I didn't want to hear anymore. I flung my right fist to my side and lifted myself up over the railing, and falling through the air, my hands up over my head, Noctis watching me with terrified eyes.

I didn't stop, I bent my legs at the knees, and drove them into Noctis's stomach, grabbing him by the collar and ripping him up off of the floor with me, holding his collar in both hands, showing no mercy as I leaned my face toward his, flaming mad.

"WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU STUPID IDIOT? WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH BY KICKING ME IN THE GUT WHEN I WAS UNCONCIOUS? HUH?" I roared, my blue eyes narrowed, my face red with fury. He did nothing. He just stared up at me, scared as I mouse. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't do anything at all.

I heard rustling going on upstairs, and saw Mrs. Fleuret and Stella peer over the edge of the railing with cautious expressions. They didn't want to end up like Noctis. I couldn't blame them. I was quite scary when I wanted to be.

"That's our fiery Claire Farron, all right." Mrs. Fleuret smirked, Stella cowering into her mother. I fought back the urge to laugh.

Suddenly, Noctis's foot slid out from under him, and we both crashed to the floor. That didn't stop me. I just knelt down over him, my hand by his head, my face in his face. I wasn't done with him yet. Not by a long shot.

"I don't care that you're a Prince, Noctis! I'm going to murder you!" His eyes widened.

"You know who I am?" I let my face soften. Or it just did on its own. I let go of him, and sat back, my butt resting on his knees as he lifted himself up to have his face level with mine.

"Yes, I know who you are. You're that little boy that always followed me when my father took me with him on one of his business trips to your country, Crystallis." He rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't following you." I smiled gently, showing my teeth in a genuinely soft smile.

"That's right. You weren't following. You were stalking me." He snorted, and turned away, making me smile brighter. I lifted my right hand to gently rub the red mark on the left side of his face, my eyes gentle.

"Are you okay, Noctis? Did I hurt you?" I asked coyly, batting my eyelashes innocently. Who said I couldn't have fun? He shook his head.

"Your monstrous strength is a bit frightening, but other than that-" I gritted my teeth, and snarled, tensing my right hand up.

He called me a monster! He said I had monstrous strength! He had it coming. I'm sorry but, no guy is going to call me that and get away with it. They sure as hell better not call Serah one either. If they do, they'll end up in a world of hurt over and over again.

"YOU CALLED ME A FREAKING MONSTER? WHAT THE HELL?" I grabbed him by his collar again, and wrenched him up off of the floor, Stella and Mrs. Fleuret cringing as I balled my right hand up, and flung it upward, slamming it into his chin, sending him flying up toward the skylight. I looked up at him, and snarled. Served him right. Stella and Mrs. Fleuret watched him fly up and out of the open skylight, and arc in the air toward the beach.

"She's a Tsundere toward Noctis. That decided it."


	5. Possibly

**Author's Note**: I know this chapter isn't much, and I know it doesn't really have a point to it, even though it leads up to the school day in the next chapter, but I really liked this one. I liked letting Claire open up to Noctis. Although, she won't be that gentle and sweet toward him again for a while. I like having her be a Tsundere. But anyway, this is the slightly Lightis chapter, or the first one for the story. It'll get back to the actual plot next chapter. But anyway, a few notes. Claire's temper is referred to as a dragon. I don't know where that came from. Maybe the wiki pages about the Dragon Slayers in Fairy Tail...? Another note, Claire does like Vampire Knight, so I'll make more references to it a little more often now. I just read volume 11, and _adored_ the Zekiness of it so much, I changed my YouTube icon from SasuSaku to Zeki. I know it isn't much, but still. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this, even though this isn't really much of a constructive addition to the overall plot. Enjoy! xD By the way, lookign abck at it now, I seem to have made a small Naruto reference again. Crap.

**Disclaimer**: I _do not_ own Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII Versus, Vampire Knight, Naruto, or anything in this entire chapter. _Nothing_ in here is mine. Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII Versus are owned by Square Enix, Vampire Knight is owned by Matsuri Hino, and Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. _Not_ me.

* * *

"You fainted in the middle of the hallway while I was gone? Why didn't you call me? I would've come home right away!" Serah scolded, looking me up and down, her blue eyes glowing and her hands on her hips. I shrugged, lifting the cup of soda up off of the counter in one hand, my fingers holding it over the open top as I sloshed the ice around a bit, my left cheek in my left palm.

"I'm alright Serah. You don't have to worry yourself over me." I replied lazily, shrugging off my little sister's concern. I heard feet clomping into the room from the backdoor.

"Then why did I find you on the floor half naked in that short skirt?" I scowled, closing my eyes, my eyebrows twitching.

"I was fully dressed, you pervert." I retorted, Noctis crossing his arms over his chest.

"That's not what I saw. I saw something prettier…" I jumped up and shoved my face into his face, my blue eyes narrowed as my collarbone short hair gathered around my head, sticking out to all sides with the force of my anger.

"YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS OUTSIDE, KID?" I demanded, as Stella and Serah leaped up into the air out of fear as my soda tottered on the edge of the counter that I'd dropped it onto.

There was no way I was letting Noctis mock me. No way in hell. He was going to have to eat some of my fists before he even thought about making passes at me. If he could take a few crosses to the jaw, then I might let him make a few. But only if he could take it. He narrowed his steely eyes, and leaned his face closer, my cheeks beginning to flush.

"Sure, let's see if you can get me outside." I crossed my arms over my chest and turned away, snorting as I shut my ice blue eyes tightly.

"I'm not playing your little mind games, my dear Prince. Just go find a Princess for you to go save or something." I mocked, shooting a glower in Noctis's direction, Serah watching me with wide eyes.

She'd never seen me like this. She'd never seen what Stella called my "Tsundere" side, whatever the hell that meant. From what I'd gathered, it meant someone, mainly a girl anime character who was originally combative toward some guy, then gradually warms up to him as their relationship develops over time. I didn't really understand it, but hey, whatever floated her boat.

As for Serah, she'd never seen me explode at people. Ever since we'd been small, I'd always been quiet, reserved, and polite to guests who'd arrived in our house, as well as Serah's wingwoman whenever she found a guy she liked, even though she was only what, six or seven at the time? Who knew how old we were back then. All I could remember was that she was too young to even be _thinking_ about dating a guy, let alone having _crushes_.

But now, she was seeing a completely new side of me, a completely different side of the sweet big sister she knew since we were in diapers. Now she was seeing the fiery Claire Farron everyone at school saw, the one that turned down every boy who even _dared_ to look her way. I was a devil to any boy who _tried _to get a shot at me. I was a Tsundere alright.

"You do _not_ want to test me, Noctis Lucis Caelum." I shot back, my voice low, my eyes narrowed as I looked back at him from over my shoulder. He just looked back, unafraid.

"Actually, I think I do. I want to figure you out, since you seem to know _everything_ about me." He took a step closer, yet I didn't flinch or move. Let him come. He was going to end up in a world of hurt anyway.

"I don't know everything. I just know what I know from back when I visited that crystal of a country you're so proud of." I retorted hotly, blowing steam from my nose. Noctis stopped and smirked, shaking his head as he face palmed.

"You know my name, yet you don't know what the name is of my country?" I stuck my tongue out at him and blew air out of my mouth, the noise that sounded like a deflating balloon echoing through the room. That was enough of an answer for him.

"Claire, that was kind of…Rude. He's royalty, after all." Serah stepped up, and glared at me from over her shoulder, taking Noctis's hand and curtseying. Stella giggled into her palm, as I rolled my eyes, setting one hand on my hip and shifting in embarrassment.

Trust Serah to do something that drastic. He wasn't even on his home turf and she was already treating him like he was, which kind of pissed me off. Yet, what was I supposed to say? I couldn't just yell at her and scold her. I wasn't her mother, after all. I was her older sister. According to Serah, all of her books and movies said that a "Princess" needs to bow before her "Prince". This thought just made me start to sweat and lift one eyebrow uncomfortably. Serah and Noctis, sitting on a throne together. I fought back the urge to hurl.

However, on Noctis, it had the opposite effect. He was beaming and rubbing her head gently as he smiled and soaked up all of the luminous attention she was giving him. Maybe she liked him, or was developing a crush on him, which also made me want to get violently sick.

It made my stomach curdle to think that Serah was doting on this so called "Prince" because she liked him. Not only was it as sickening as the thought of her and Snow being together, but it sort of made me jealous. For some strange, wacked-out reason. Serah stood up after curtseying respectfully, Stella giving her an annoyed look.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Stella muttered angrily, snorting. I turned and looked at her, slightly confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked, Stella's purple eyes widening, as her palms flew up, her blonde hair flying out beside her head as she shook it hopelessly.

"N-Nothing Claire. Just let it go. You know how I always run my mouth." She stuttered, smiling as I turned around giving up.

With Stella, there was a fine line between blonde tenacity and plain old stupidity. As far as blondeness goes, she was better than the porker called Lucy in my Physics class. Lucy was blonde. Like Stella, but was too stupid to even bother to study the theory of quantum physics or the meaning of the word inertia.

When the teacher called on Lucy, she just blinked down at her textbook with those amber eyes of hers, and swat her long blonde hair back with an impatient flick of her hand, and reply with this half-assed response that only annoyed the teacher, and pleased the vulgar boys sitting around her staring at her breasts. I think I should add that they're implants, so I'm told.

"Claire, Claire! That cute boy thinks I'm cute! How should I respond…?" Serah asked, shoving her face toward my ear, my eyes widening as I listened.

"Sock him in the face. He's too old for you." I whispered back, keeping my eyes on Noctis as he looked out the window, watching the ocean as the wind ruffled his gray-black hair. Serah followed my eyes, her long pink hair blowing over her shoulders.

"Why're you staring at him, Claire?" I shook it off, and nudged her toward him gently.

"Just let it come naturally, okay, Serah?" I replied softly, Serah turning and giving me a fearful look with her wide blue eyes. I smiled at her reassuringly.

Much as I disliked him, I knew he wouldn't try anything with my sister. She was still so innocent, even though she was only thirteen. She'd never heard of sex, drugs, rape, whores, sluts, prostitutes, or any of the other stuff I'd already heard of. Noctis knew that. And for that reason alone, I trusted him.

I watched Serah dote on him and tease him coyly, Stella sliding her back up against my shoulder, her arms crossed over her chest, her face pinched in slight anger. She was jealous, that was obvious. I personally didn't really care, as long as he wasn't shoving his perverted tendencies on me or Serah; I was alright with him being around. Tch.

"Serah, I have a question." Stella and I's heads slid toward each other as he leaned his face close to Serah's ear, bending over as she blinked her round ice blue eyes, so much like mine, but still so innocent.

"Yes?" She answered, her voice hollow, expectant. I flinched, my pink hair swiveling right beside my head. _Don't tell me! _

His eyes never left mine, as he murmured the question into her ear as quietly as he could, Serah nodding every once in a while, smiles breaking out across her face a few times, as he asked her the question he wanted to ask her. Stella's blonde head touched mine and we slid toward each other, my curiosity rising.

I wanted to know what the heck he was asking my little sister. What could it be? Where to get good drugs? Where to pick up a girl that was both good looking and smart? Or perhaps he was asking her where the nearest toilet was so he could hurl into it as I punched all of the food he'd just eaten out of his stomach with a few jabs from my tightened right hand. Noctis pulled backwards, his hand on her ear, Serah looking up at him, smiling as she nodded.

"Sure, I can help you with that. She's not that hard to read, you know." I stood stock still, my pink hair flying out from head again, my eyes wide as my hands tightened. Great. They were talking about me now. Just lovely.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN, SERAH?" I demanded, storming toward my sister with my hands balled up at my sides. Noctis smirked in my direction, and waved his hand dismissively.

"Oh relax, Claire. We aren't trying to make fun of you." That set me off.

I roared, my hair sticking out from my head, as I lifted my right fist up by my face and leaned toward Noctis, my temper roaring through my body. Stella and Serah hugged each other close as they hid from my wrath, my dragon like roar as I blew fire at Noctis.

"Seriously, I never thought that someone as pretty as you would have such an ugly personality." Stella and Serah cringed as more fire flew out of my mouth, my snarl full of anger.

"I HATE YOUR GUTS!" I screamed, grabbing him by the top of his skull, and slinging him around like a ragdoll.

Serah and Stella hid in a corner as I slung him around, slamming him against chairs, counters, walls, anything I could hurt him with. They watched, their eyes, purple and blue, widening in unison as I slung Noctis every which way, not caring what he smashed into or broke or crashed into head first. I was mad. For no reason, it seemed like.

"Claire! Claire! Calm down! He's unconscious! You beat the snot out of him!" Stella cried, as I held Noctis in front of me.

I balled my left hand up and slammed it into his face, sending him flying toward the wall behind Stella and Serah, the two of them screaming in terror when he slammed into the wall above them, the plaster caving in after him. I stood, hunched over, huffing and puffing as traces of fire blew out of my mouth as I panted, my blue eyes lightening up with my fading anger, my fists relaxing. I'd exerted all of the anger I had. I felt better now. Stella and Serah looked back at Noctis, who was currently unconscious, then back at me.

"All better now!" I pointed out with a sunny smile, lifting up two fingers to my forehead and spreading my feet, the wind blowing in from the open window ruffling my pink hair as my powder blue eyes glowed brightly.

"Uh, Claire…" Stella replied, turning to the passed out Noctis, and pointing at him as she looked back at me. I sighed, lowering my fingers and crossing my arms over my chest.

"He'll wake up in a few seconds. I didn't hurt him that bad." Serah snorted, giving me a death glare.

"You hurt him, you dragon! You spit fire out of your mouth as you slammed him into the wall thousands of times! YOU ABUSED HIM, CLAIRE!" I snorted and turned away, narrowing my eyes.

"You seem to be pretty fond of him, Serah! What about Snow?" I retorted as I tossed my head while mocking her from over my shoulder. She sighed.

"You're so difficult. Just help him up, okay?" Serah answered, rolling her hand as she closed her eyes. I sighed, and nodded, walking toward him.

What was the worst that could happen? It wasn't like he could grab me and sling me around like _I_ was the ragdoll. Seriously, what could he possibly do? Shoot up onto his knees and wrench me to the floor, pin me to the ground, and scream into my face about abusing him so violently? No. He couldn't do anything to me. He couldn't do anything.

"Seriously, Claire, be gentle with him, you hurt him pretty badly-" I reached down, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him up off of the floor and shook him violently.

"WAKE UP YOU LAZY BUM! I DIDN'T HURT YOU THAT BAD, GET UP NOW!" I roared, Noctis's eyes slowly opening as I held him up off the ground, my powder blue eyes brightening when I saw his steely irises.

"Noctis!" I cried, letting go off him, Noctis's eyes widening as he crashed to the floor, as I dusted my hands off. He looked up at me, slightly angry.

"Seriously, Claire, you have issues." My left hand twitched by my face, and my head jolted down like it was pounded by a huge brick.

"Hmph." I crossed my arms over my chest and snorted, turning away. Noctis blinked in confusion.

"What did I do? Did I say something?" He asked Stella and Serah, Stella face palming as Serah giggled into her right hand.

"No, Claire just takes things a bit differently than others." Serah replied, laughing slightly. I nearly flew off the handle at her too. But I couldn't, because she was Serah, my little sister.

"Just let it go, Serah." I replied, hiding my blushing face as best I could. Noctis looked over at me, his steel blue eyes curious, and soft.

"What's matter with Claire?" He asked, Stella lifting up her palms.

"Who knows?" She muttered, smiling as she laughed. I swung my head around, careless of my blushing face, and pointed my index finger in her direction accusingly.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU ALL? CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT YOU'RE PUTTING ME IN A BAD MOOD?" I answered hotly, my blue eyes narrowed. Noctis smiled, and closed his eyes.

"You're the one yelling at everyone, Claire." He pointed out, taking a step toward me, unafraid.

My blood boiled under my skin. It flowed through my veins, as the dragon rose inside me again, my inner voice roaring as loud as it possibly could, my pink hair sticking out from my head, the side pieces that framed my face separating as my cheeks flamed with the dragon's fury, my face becoming red. I was furious again.

"YOU STAY OUT OF IT!" I ordered, pointing my finger at Noctis now, shifting my anger from Stella to Noctis in a flash. He grabbed my wrist delicately, and took a step closer, wrapping his left arm around me, and held me close.

"It's okay…Just calm down…" My irises throbbed, as I turned my head toward him, surprised. Serah was as surprised as I was, only Stella smirked, clearly enjoying this.

I watched the wind dance through his gray-black hair, his lips curling up into a smile against the side of my head, the sun shining through the wayward strands of pink hair that twisted through the air like a wistful snowflake, reluctant to reach the ground. His eyes relaxed, as he relaxed, holding me loosely.

I could break free of his embrace at any time I wished to. He was giving me that choice. But for some reason, something inside me didn't want to let go. Something inside me was making the dragon purr. For once, I wasn't on edge. I wasn't balancing precariously on the edge of sanity and infinite anger. I was finally at peace.

I smiled gently against the side of his head and lifted my right hand to hold him back, my left lying on the back of his head tenderly, my fingers knotting themselves into his hair slowly, my eyes closing as I buried my face into his luminous silvery strands. I was calm, pacified. The dragon that often roared inside me was finally calm, serene. My temper was at rest.

"You feel better now, Claire?" He asked softly, as the wind blew my smile across his face when he pulled away to look me in the eyes. I nodded through my ruffled bangs.

"Yes. Thank you." I replied, nodding my whole head once. Stella and Serah fought back a fit of comments about Noctis and I's tender moment. Noctis smiled gently, and lifted his right hand up to my cheek, his eyes softening.

"Everything will be alright, okay? Just relax." He answered, his smile gentle, yet bright. My azure eyes sparkled.

"I know." I answered, the waning sunlight shimmering into my eyes, painting them a luminescent orange hue.

He watched me carefully, his steely irises peering into my soul like they were open doors. He was trying to figure me out, trying to read the tightly closed book in front of him. He was trying to peel back the pages of the mystery looking him straight in the face, staring at him deep in the eyes. Those eyes flicked back and forth, from side to side, trying desperately to read my mind, my heart.

"Noctis…? Are you alright?" Stella asked, putting her hand on his shoulder as she stepped up beside him, her celeste eyes concerned. Noctis turned to her, and nodded, lifting his hand from my cheek.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just trying to figure Claire out." He answered, shoving his hands into his pockets at the last part, and walking toward the back door. Serah leapt up from the floor, and followed him, grabbing his hand tightly in hers.

"Where are you going? Why didn't you kiss her? You two would make such a cute couple!" She pointed out, Noctis turning to her with a slight smirk on his face.

"You think so?" He asked, putting his hand on her head lightly, as I crossed my arms over my chest, smiling slightly.

"Serah likes to play matchmaker, in case you haven't noticed." I replied sharply, my tone harshly teasing. I refused to act gentle and soft toward him, even after _that_. He smiled at my tone.

"Yeah, I've noticed." He answered, turning to me with a slight smirk. Stella slid in front of me, holding her hands together, her palms flat against each other.

"Anyway…You have to work tomorrow after school, since my mother'll be gone on a business trip." She cheered, smiling brightly. My face fell.

"WHAT?" I asked exasperatedly, my voice rising a few octaves. Noctis and Serah turned toward me out of curiousness.

"Claire, what's wrong?" Serah asked, as I started shaking.

I didn't want to go back to work. I didn't want to go back to that place. Mrs. Fleuret made Stella and I wear these really revealing outfits that not only embarrassed me, but gave the guys that flocked to the windows of the shop something to look at other than the clothes inside. Okay, maybe she wouldn't make us wear those outfits now that it was kind of chilly outside, but still. Who knew.

"We're not going to have to wear our uniforms, right?" I asked in a tiny voice, scared of the answer. Stella nodded, and smiled.

"Yeah, we won't. I hate those things." I nodded and smiled.

"They're too revealing for my tastes." Serah scoffed, and lifted her hand, waving it around in a circle.

"Anything that is not a tightly closed shirt that shows no cleavage whatsoever is _too revealing_ for your tastes, Claire. You're too afraid to show off anything other than your legs." I snorted a little bit of flame out of parted lips. The dragon was waking up again.

"Well excuse me for not wanting to look like a slut." I retorted, Serah looking back at me from over her shoulder, a coy smile on her face.

"I know, Claire. I know." Stella face palmed, and sat back down on her stool, reaching for her soda.

"Well, all I know is that a lot of the girls from our grade are going to be coming to the store tomorrow." She pointed out, as Serah sat down next to her, Noctis stepping up beside me, my hand on my hip.

"Why?" He asked, giving Stella a look. I narrowed my eyes. _This ought to be good. _Stella took a sip out of her soda calmly, then sat it down on the countertop carefully.

"We're having a sale tomorrow. You know how the Lolita style is popular nowadays, right? Well, my mother and I were talking about that the other day, and she came up with this wonderful solution of having a sale during the week. I was so mad when she told me I'd have to work, again in that stuffy shop. She never opens the windows, and it drives me insane." I bit my bottom lip, and turned to my left, tightening my hand. _I won't be able to read Vampire Knight on the beach now._

"So much for Zero kissing Yuki…" I muttered, and turned back to Stella, nodding once.

"Alright. I'll bring my homework with me then?" I asked, Stella thinking for a second, tapping her fingers to her chin.

"You won't be able to do much of it though if what my mother said is true. But sure, you can bring it with you, just in case." I smiled, and nodded, Stella smiling and nodding back. Noctis blinked.

"Now I won't be able to take a nap." He complained, his voice a low whine. I turned toward him, and cuffed him upside the back of his head, my face staying the same, showing no emotion.

"Relax. I'll keep those girls in line while you snore like a pig." I answered reassuringly, Noctis's face falling as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Thanks." I smiled innocently, closing my eyes and tilting my head at the same time.

"No problem." I answered sweetly, my blue eyes bright. Noctis just looked toward the giggling Serah, who was currently enjoying the light and happy atmosphere.

In truth, I was too. It reminded me of back when my parents were still alive. It reminded me of the days my mother would be cooking lunch for my sister and I as we played in the surf on the beach while my father did lawn work or fixed up the house behind us, keeping an eyes on Serah and I as he worked, my mother cooking and coming outside every once in a while.

It reminded me of the warmth that had flooded my heart back then. The warmth that meant that I was loved and had a family to come home to everyday after school. The sense of security and safety was all around me, emanating from Noctis mostly, Serah and Stella as well. It felt like I had a family again.

I shifted, and walked over to the back door, giving the beach a practiced glance. It was high tide by the looks of it, judging by the dappled patches of green strewn across the ivory sand close to the surf. The pale, clear blue water lapped slowly at the green patches, as I smiled, and turned to the others.

"Hey, guys. You want to play in the surf for a bit?" I asked, pointing at the water with my thumb over my shoulder. Noctis and Stella exchanged glances as Serah leapt up and ran toward me, nodding.

"Seriously? You'll play with me this time, Claire?" I looked down at her hopeful eyes, and nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, I will, I promise. Let's build a sand castle!" I suggested, turning to the door, and opening it slowly, Serah tearing through it, taking off toward the surf. I turned to Noctis and Stella, and waved my hand toward me, closing my left eye playfully.

"C'mon. It'll be fun. We'll have a long day tomorrow." I pointed out, Stella smiling and nodding, sitting up and running toward the door, Noctis close behind a beach ball in his hand, holding the door open for us as Stella and I headed toward Serah.

The three of us made it to her barely standing sand castle, and tackled her, Serah and I tumbling into the surf, as Noctis and Stella splashed each other, sending water flying in every direction, Serah struggling under me as she laughed, my kicking legs sending the sand castle crashing down.

Serah somehow shoved me off of her and pinned me to the sandy ground, laughing all the while, as Stella and Noctis ran through the surf, Noctis flinging water at Stella, accidently hitting Serah in the face as he missed Stella by about nine yards. The three of us stopped as Serah fell silent, a dark shadow falling across her face.

"Serah, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to." Noctis pleaded, kneeling down beside her, Stella putting her hands on Serah's shoulders soothingly.

"It was an accident, Serah. He didn't mean to." I held myself up by my elbows, and blinked my blue eyes.

"Serah?" I asked, leaning my face forward curiously as the surf lapped at my heels. Her face suddenly lit up with an evil smile, and she swung around, tackling Noctis into the tide, laughing.

"YOU'RE GONNA GET IT NOW!" She cried teasingly, as his wide eyes broke through the water's surface, Stella giggling as I got up, grabbing Stella in a huge bear hug while Noctis writhed under Serah, struggling to get out from under her as she pinned him to the sand.

"Help! Claire! Help!" Noctis cried in between waves, as I crawled over to his side and daintily shoved Serah into the water with one hand, Serah's yelp startling Stella slightly, as I reached down toward Noctis with one hand.

"Beach volleyball?" I offered, pointing with my left thumb at Stella and Serah who were trying to volley the beach ball back and forth. He glanced at them, and nodded.

"Yeah." He took my hand with his, and smiled, as I stood up while simultaneously pulling him up with me.

"C'mon!" I pulled on his hand as I took off running, Noctis staggering behind me as we jogged through the water toward Stella and Serah, who turned and smiled at us.

"You two are playing?" Serah asked, wringing her wet pink hair out as Noctis and I took our side, Stella holding the ball in her left hand, getting ready to serve. I nodded, and smiled.

"Yeah. I love beach volleyball." Serah nodded, and planted her feet.

"I'm not going easy on you." I planted my feet too, narrowing my eyes.

"That's just how I want it." Stella served the ball, the round orb flying toward me. I hit it back to them with my fingertips, Serah leaping up and slamming it down toward the ground on my left with one hand, smiling brightly.

"Take that!" I dove for it, holding out my forearms, the ball flying down toward my arms, my eyes narrowed as my half wet, half dry hair blew in the gentle wind.

"Cha!" I barely bumped it up high enough for Noctis to spike it down to the sand in front of Serah, giving us the point as I slid across the powdery beach, quickly getting up onto my feet, Noctis holding out his fist.

"Nice save." I smiled, and held out my fist, our knuckles touching.

"Thanks. Nice spike."


	6. Realization

**Author's Note**: Okay, this is a little bit weird too. But don't worry. The plot will begin moving along next chapter. I swear! xD Anyway, I LOVE Lightning sooo much! She's sooo cool. Anyway, this is where she begins to realize that she's falling for him. Hehe. And I'm sorry CidxLightning fans. I'm not exactly what you'd call a big fan of them. I'm a Lightis fan to the very end. Although I wonder who this new guy is in the Final Fantasy XIII-2 trailer. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy Claire and her Tsundereness. I LOVE her. Again. Oh, and yes! She has a Vampire Knight obsession! I just had to do it! xD

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII Versus, Vampire Knight, or anything else in this chapter. I OWN NOTHING AT ALL! I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING!

* * *

"Honest to god, I thought my head was going to explode back there. Seriously, all of the girls were asking me how I keep my hair so straight even after I've been sick for a day, and the boys were all complimenting me on my ass and saying how they wanted to tap it. I don't get it." I pointed out as Stella, Noctis, and I walked down the sunny street toward the shop.

It had been a rough day at school. I had to make up three tests that I missed on the day I was sick, all of which were in my hard classes, unfortunately. So, I had to quickly memorize everything in the span of 82 minutes of study hall. And on top of that, all of the boys and girls were talking and distracting me.

Then after those three tests I had to take all in the span of three periods, all in a row, one after the other, I had to run to the office and spew out some lamer excuse for missing school and my obvious lack of a parent's note. I'd never gotten used to that, and to be honest, I probably never would.

That's why I went to school each and every day, sick or not. I couldn't bear to give them anymore reason or clues as to why my parents were absent. If they found out I had no more family left to turn to, Serah and I were heading to Pulse. I could probably tough it out, but Serah couldn't. She wasn't strong enough.

And she hadn't been touched by an Eidolon. She didn't have the Goddess Etro guiding her, like I did. Odin had visited me in a dream once. The Knight of Truth. He gave me a reason to live and struggle. He told me what I needed to do.

And because of that, because of the truth he'd revealed to me, I was strong enough to continue fighting. I'd stay strong. For Serah's sake of course. I had to. She was my reason for living now. She was the reason I was still sane. Her smile, that bright, innocent smile was all that was keeping me going. Her smile was my beating heart. I had to rely on her now.

But then again, Serah didn't know a lot about me. She didn't know about how volatile I now was. She didn't know the dragon all that well, as far as the full extent of its wrath. But the dragon was me. I was the dragon. I was my temper. That's who I am now. Stella didn't even know me anymore. The only one who does…Is…

"Claire, are you alright?" I turned to Stella, and smiled, nodding once. I was okay, I was just thinking.

"I'm fine, Stella." I replied, then looked up at the sky.

Yes…The only person who knew me for who I was, and for who I once had been, was Noctis. In a really weird and creepy sort of way. Sure, he wasn't exactly high on my well-liked list, but he definitely knew how to calm me down. He also seemed to know me, like really well.

I turned to Noctis, his steel blue eyes turning to me, intoxicatingly close to mine, as I just realized. We didn't talk, we just stared at each other as we walked, our eyes locked out of the corner of our gazes. He knew I was thinking about him. He could feel it in the way my hand drifted closer to him, bit by bit, my fingers trembling slightly.

The way the wind ruffled his bangs into his eyes, the soft smile that painted his face into the bright colors it was pulsing with, the soft and gentle beat of his heart that echoed into my ears lightly, despite how far away my ears were from his heart beat. I couldn't describe it. He was interesting to me.

I watched the irises get closer to mine, the steely depths becoming clearer to me, the craters and lines, and the windswept silver dust all visible to my plain blue eyes. He was beautiful, a contradiction. I could feel it in the way my heart fluttered on tender wings just then. I wanted him. My hand slowly drifted closer, picking up speed, the trembling getting fiercer, my fingers twitching as I lifted my hand up, my pink bangs blowing into my eyes.

He just walked forward, watching me out of the corner of his eye, his irises scanning my face, my pores, my heart blazing in the depths of my azure irises. He was figuring me out. He was learning who I was and what I was hiding. Opening myself up to him like I was, it was a bad idea. I stopped my hand, curling my fingers in, and sighing.

"Stupid hormones…" I muttered, brushing my fluttering heart off of my sleeve quietly. Noctis turned his head to me, and smirked.

"They're a guy's best friend, Claire." I bit the bullet, and snarled under my breath. I wasn't playing his game, not today. Not until I figured out why I wanted him all of a sudden.

"Whatever." I muttered, and jogged forward, the store in sight, leaving Stella and Noctis behind.

I couldn't look at him. Not again. If I looked into his eyes, then what I didn't want to happen, would happen. He knew I was trapped. He knew he had me. He knew he was drowning me in those shimmering, smoldering eyes of his every time he looked at me. He knew that he had me spellbound whenever I heard his voice. He had tamed me.

I was no longer the raging, fiery Claire Farron everyone in school feared. I was just the beautiful Claire, the girl who every guy wanted, but would never have. I was everyone's fantasy. As dirty as that sounds, it's true. I've had boys come up to me before and tell me that. I then proceeded to beat the shit out of them, just saying.

I had to figure out a way to break his hold on me. I had to figure out a way to free myself from the lovingly firm chains he was slowly binding me with. I had to figure out how to get his voice, face, name, heart out of my head. Ever since that morning, when he'd first touched me, I'd slowly been becoming calmer, despite my major explosion yesterday. I had to fix the wall this morning because of it. Of course, Noctis had helped me, unfortunately.

I stopped in front of the store door, and put my hand on my hip, slinging my bag over my shoulder, tightening my right hand on the leather handles, and watched the street with a huff of fire. The dragon was pacified. Again. And he hadn't even touched me yet. Just what was happening to me?

Was I…_Falling_ for him? No, it couldn't be. I never fell for guys. They fell for me. Okay, that's a lie. I had a crush on Cid Raines, the most popular, sought-out-for guy in the school, that is until Noctis came. Now, my childish crush on Cid was fading away, blowing away like the silvery dust in Noctis's eyes. I clamped my hands on each side of my head, shaking it, my pink hair flying into my eyes as I screwed them shut as tightly as I could.

Noctis was haunting me again. I couldn't shake him off. He was in my mind. Every second of the day, I was thinking about him. I was thinking about how to beat him up, or how to go about asking him something, or how he felt about me, or what he thought of how I looked, or something like that. Like a girl in love…

"Claire! Claire, are you alright?" He asked, my eyes opening suddenly at the sound of his voice, the desperation in it. I slowly lifted my hands away from my hair, and smiled gently without thinking.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just a bad daydream or something." I answered, the wind dusting my cheeks a soft cherry blossom pink, like the pink strands that bumped my temples lightly. He smiled back, brushing the pieces of hair that blew into my eyes gently, his hand lingering on my cheek.

"Glad to hear it." _Can I add touch to that list too? _I almost shook my head into his palm, it was so warm and soothing. Instead, I closed my eyes and just enjoyed it.

"Mmmmmm…" Noctis swirled his palm over my cheek lightly, my lips parting slightly. _God, this feels so good._

"Are you alright…Claire…?" My eyes slowly opened, my powder blue irises barely able to be seen, but gently sparkling. _So warm…My heart is so warm…_

"Mmmmmm…" He blinked, his lips parting in confusion, his eyes softening a few shades.

"Claire…" _Why…Do I feel this way…? _My knees grew number and number as the seconds passed, all of the breath I had in my lungs flying out from between my parted lips. I was drowning.

I lifted my right hand, and rested it on his, shaking my head slowly as I took a step closer, Noctis flinching slightly in surprise. He was probably thinking I was going to punch him in the face again. But my approach was gentle, forlorn, entranced. His hold over me was getting heavier, his binds were tightening. The lightness of his touch on my cheek was suffocating. I felt weak.

"Claire, are you…?" I took another step, pressing my left hand into his chest tenderly, smiling as my eyes closed, my right hand lifting from his hand on my cheek to gently rest on his beating heart. I had fallen.

"It's fine." I replied, leaning on him, his hands coming up to hold my wrists out of confusion. He didn't understand what was going on. Truth be told, neither did I.

"Claire what're you-?" I pulled backwards, and smiled, touching my forehead to his gently.

I had no idea what in the world I was doing. All I knew was that I had to stay close to this warmth in front of me, meaning him. Unfortunately, that meant he'd have to tolerate my presence a little bit longer, or at least until I was done soaking up as much heat as I could.

Noctis just watched, his steel blue eyes wide as my face drew closer, my pink bangs mixing with his as my forehead came down on his lightly. His irises were throbbing at my smug smirk, his cheeks and forehead keeping a constant temperature of 98.6 degrees although they were a slight pink, his heart beating evenly under my right palm.

The wind blew my short pink hair over my shoulders, the strands licking at his cheeks, his parted lips, his temples. They wanted him too. I was sinking. Faster and faster. I was falling, faster and faster. That steel blue ocean, the steel blueness of oblivion welcomed me with open arms, immersing me in its warmth as I dropped quicker and quicker. I didn't know what had come over me.

"…Thank you…" I murmured, pulling backwards, relinquishing my grip on him, lifting my hands clear of his beating heart with a soft smile, my powder blue eyes opening. He looked back at me, confused.

"For what?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. I smirked. He thought it was a trick. Smart boy. Not true, but smart.

"I don't know. I felt like saying it." I replied flippantly, smiling as I waved my hand through the air by my face, my eyebrows twitching as I held back mocking laughter. Stella watched me with round purple eyes.

"But why would you touch him? You said you hated his guts." She asked, tilting her head to the side. I shook my head, curling my lip up.

"What's wrong with saying "thank you" to someone? Last I checked it wasn't a crime or anything." I answered, lifting my palms up, and shaking my head. Noctis and Stella slid toward each other, Noctis's pink cheeks making Stella's purple eyes look like a brilliant violet.

"But you don't normally say "thank you", Claire. You usually just go about your business." Stella replied, cocking her head. Noctis watched, lifting an eyebrow. He didn't know enough about me to support her.

"Whatever. I just felt like thanking Noctis, so what's the big deal?" I asked, lifting my azure eyes to Stella's celeste ones.

They were wide, frightened, almost afraid even. I cocked my head. I hadn't flipped out or anything. My temper was quiet, purring underneath my skin, still pacified by Noctis, not bristling or rumbling like it usually did whenever I was poked and prodded like I was just now. But I had a feeling it wasn't me she was afraid of.

"Stella…?" I asked, taking a step toward her, Noctis's expression turning indignant. Stella pointed her finger at something over my shoulder.

"Turn around." I slowly turned my head, blinking a few times, unsure of what I would see. If it had Stella that worked up, it had to be something a little scary.

"Claire Farron, right?" A face, a familiar face appeared close to mine, startling me slightly.

"Cid Raines? What are you doing here? I thought you had detention after school for that stunt you pulled in gym?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. My heart didn't flutter.

"Oh, you mean full body tackling you? Nah, I skipped it." I narrowed my eyes wryly. My cheeks didn't flush.

"Skipping detention isn't a very good habit to pick up, Raines." I teased, smirking. Cid smirked back, his hazel eyes bright with mischief. _Flirting, huh? _

"Well, being beautiful isn't exactly a good habit either, Farron." Case closed. He was flirting with me. Now how to shake him…

"Being beautiful isn't as easy as you think. You always have boys hounding you for your number, girls trying to loom exactly like you or else they aren't perfect, and worst of all…" I started, sighing at the sky as I looked up at it, Stella and Noctis watching with anxious eyes. Cid had no idea what was coming.

"I didn't come for your number. I came because I wanted to ask you out to dinner tonight." I narrowed my eyes and looked back at him from over my shoulder.

"Are you sure?" I asked, Cid not catching on to my second meaning. Dumbass.

"Yeah. Of course we'd eat at my house, since I'm on punishment and everything, and then we could watch a movie or something else, if you were up to it…" My eyes darkened a shade. _So that's what it's about. How distasteful. _

I knew what his game plan was. It wasn't too different than the last guy that had asked me out's, but it wasn't exactly predictable either, up until the eating at his house part. He was hoping that I'd be up to something else after the cuddling during the movie was over. What a vulgar, disgusting pervert. I balled my right hand up, and held it in front of me, snarling fire out my nose.

"Claire…?" Cid asked, trembling in fear. He should be.

I couldn't find the right words to tell him off. I could finish any of my thoughts, I was so angry. Cid was the fifth or sixth guy to ask me to have that nasty three letter word I refused to tell Serah about when she asked if she could do it. Wait, recount. Like the hundredth? I wasn't keeping track. Although, the hospital was. Whenever a guy walked in with a broken nose, black eye, and sore groin they knew who'd caused it. The fiery Claire Farron.

"So, will you come over to my house and spend the-" I gritted my teeth, biting the corner of my bottom lip in anger. No way in _hell _was this happening_. _

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" I exploded, reaching forward with my burning right hand, steam flying out of my nose as I ripped at his collar, grabbing him firmly as I leaned forward, boiling mad.

"C-Claire!" Cid exclaimed, not knowing how to respond or too scared to stop me. I wrenched my head up, my pink hair swiveling beside my head before it stuck out, my eyes a pair of furiously dark sapphire orbs.

"LISTEN UP, YOU PERVERT! IF YOU THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE I'VE HAD A CRUSH ON YOU FOR GOD KNOWS HOW LONG, THAT I'LL JUST FOLLOW YOU BLINDLY INTO THAT DISGUSTING PERVERTED TRAP YOU'VE LAID OUT FOR ME, THEN YOU'RE THE BIGGEST VULGAR JERK I'VE EVER MET!" I roared, gripping his collar tighter as I hollered into his face. His hazel eyes closed against my fiery words, the flames flying out of my mouth after every word.

"C-Claire…I didn't think that, I was just-" I let go of his collar, and pulled my fist backwards, holding my left hand out, my tense fingers spread.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS, IT'S STILL DISGUSTING YOU PERVERT!" I cried, flinging my fist forward, my right foot coming up from the ground as I followed through hunching over as Cid flew through the air, down the street, bystanders watching Cid roll head first across the ground with wide eyes.

"Owww…" Cid moaned, as I swung my right hand back to my side, storming toward him, my arms tense at my sides as I stomped toward him. The worst wasn't over yet.

"What a Tsundere…" Stella repeated, shaking her head into her palm. Noctis gulped.

"I'm glad _I'm_ not the one she's angry at. She's frightening." My eyes narrowed as I snorted a bunch of flames out of my nose.

"Noctis…" I snarled, turning back to look at him from over my shoulder, Noctis flinching out of surprise, his eyes wide and fearful. Cid groaned, and squealed like a little girl when he saw how close I was to him.

"Don't rape me!" He screamed, and hid his eyes. I lifted my upper body up, standing up straight, and snarled, my hands on my hips.

"YOU DISGUSTING PERVERT! WHY IN _HELL_ WOULD EVER RAPE _YOU_? YOU WOULDN'T EVEN BE WORTH THE TIME YOU STUPID VULGAR ADOLESCENT!" I cried, lifting my twitching right hand up by the side of my head, and gritted my teeth, biting the corner of my bottom lip.

"Sometimes I just want to…YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS TIME, I THINK I WILL!" I jumped up into the air, and bent my knees, Cid's eyes widening, as I dropped down toward him, my arms up over my head.

"Wait, Claire, you're falling toward my-AGGGHHHHH!" He screamed, the males in the crowd that was watching me reject Cid Raines, the most popular guy in school and my childhood crush, gasping and flinching as I drove my knees downward, my wild blue eyes and sinisterly amused smirk making the females either scream and hide, or cheer.

I stood up, dusting my hands and clothes off, my eyes closed as I smiled with satisfaction. But there was still one thing missing. There was one more thing I had to say to him. But what was it? I thought the pile driving my knees into his groin was enough of physical abuse, but there was one other thing I had to say, and do. I pulled my right leg backward, narrowing my eyes once more, fire surging forward from my mouth.

"SAYONARA, YOU SICK PERVERT!" I swung my leg forward, kicking him where it hurt, my laces lifting him up off the ground with the force of my kick, Cid's tears trailing after him as he flew toward the nearest trash can, coincidentally. I waved my right fist in front of me angrily.

"DON'T SCREW WITH ME, GOT IT?" The crowd nodded, the boys gulping down the sweat that was pouring down the sides of their faces, the girls just smiling or nodding out of fear of my wrath. I turned and stormed back to my friends, snorting the entire time.

I didn't even care to look at the faces that I passed. I didn't even bother. I recognized some of them, like the few seniors and juniors, sophomores that had asked me out before and were now considering themselves lucky that they weren't Cid right now. This only further instilled the fact that I was the girl everyone wanted, but was too afraid to try to get.

I stopped at Noctis and Stella, my blue eyes softening as I looked at Noctis somberly. His answering gaze was smug, his smile warm. It didn't affect him. The rejection of Cid Raines pleased him or something. But it wasn't everyday that Cid got rejected. Being the most popular guy in school, he was always asked out, like I was, but for all the wrong reasons.

Girls wanted to get into his pants and have a good time while doing it. They wanted to lose themselves in the clouds of ecstasy that doing it with Cid supposedly caused. Not only did that notion make me want to hurl into the nearest toilet, but it also made my stomach knot. I'd heard from Lucy, the dumbass blonde that _never_ stopped talking, that the nasty three letter word was actually pleasurable. Stella thought the opposite. And I was right behind her.

"You're such a Tsundere, Claire." Stella muttered, as I smiled brightly and lifted two fingers.

"But you love me anyway." I answered, smiling as I tilted my head and closed my eyes at the same time. Noctis's eyebrows lifted up as he smiled, and nodded.

"Sure, but don't you think that was a little much? I'm scared for my life now." I crossed my arms over my chest and lifted an index finger, smirking.

"So long as you don't cross the line with perverse ideas or comments, then your future babies' lives are safe." I replied, turning to look back at him from over my shoulder, and shut my left eye playfully. He sighed in relief.

"Thanks for that." I reached forward with my lifted finger, and poked his forehead teasingly, shoving his head backwards, his eyes peering into mine with slight fear.

"H-Hey!" He exclaimed, his eyes flashing upward to stare at my lone index finger as I leaned forward, my face close to his.

"You're no jerk, that's for sure. Especially since, you comfort me like you do. That's why I thanked you before." I murmured, Noctis's cheeks flushing, as his eyes widened.

"C-Claire!" I lowered my voice, and leaned toward his left ear, Noctis watching me out of the corner of his eye.

"And you know something else? I think I'm finally starting to like you!" Noctis turned toward me slowly, robotically.

"E-Eh?" I nodded my whole head once, and smiled brightly. Stella face palmed.

"Oh boy." Noctis's face flushed a bright, deep red, the skin of his forehead getting hotter and hotter under my finger as his body temperature shot up sky high.

"W-WHAT THE HECK? WHAT BROUGHT ALL THIS ON?" He cried, jumping away from me with a frightened look in his eyes. I put my hand on my hip and shifted, smiling gently.

"You're too cute, Noctis." I answered quietly, Stella hip bumping me.

"Does that mean you like him?" I felt my body jerk out of an astounded muscle spasm like in the anime shows.

"E-EHHH?" I asked, looking at Stella with wide blue eyes. She smiled, her hands held together by her left shoulder, her smile scaring me.

"Your reaction says it all." I jumped backwards, Noctis and I standing next to each other, turning toward each other, blushing, then turning away with a simultaneous snort.

"THERE'S NO WAY I'D LIKE _THAT_!" We answered at the same time, Stella giving us a practiced glance, as Noctis and I snarled at each other in anger, our faces extremely close.

"You like each other. Just look at how close you are." I snorted, and spat flames at Noctis, his eyes narrowing at the red pieces of fire, dark with my anger.

"That has nothing to do with it, and you know it!" I retorted, turning toward Stella, whipping my right hand across the air as I held my palm out to Noctis, who just gave me a look.

He wasn't buying it. Looks like he knew my confusion. Looks like he figured out that I was confused, or starting to become confused. I had to admit, he wasn't as dumb as he looked. He was a lot smarter than I gave him credit for. I lifted my right hand and curled my fingers in, holding my hand over my mouth as I turned and smiled at the bristling Noctis, my blue eyes wide and round, as well as gentle and sparkling. Yes, I had a crush on him alright.

"Why're you staring at me?" Noctis asked, giving me a glower, trying to downplay that cute blush that covered his cheeks. Stella face palmed again.

"Seriously Claire? Do you have to be ruled by your emotions all the time? Why can't you just stop getting attracted to every guy you see?" Stella asked, shaking her head into her palm. I blushed.

"I don't ever get attracted to guys, so shut up." I replied, the spot under my eyes turning pink. She nodded, waving her hand across the air.

"I wish I could say that to you, but you're right. You never have crushes on guys. Except Cid Raines. But since you just turned him down, I'm guessing you no longer have one on him." I nodded, and smiled. Noctis shifted, and sighed.

"Whatever. You're not the first one to find me attractive. Although, I've kind of been interested in you for a long time, Claire…" My heart fluttered.

"I see. But we can save this conversation for another time, alright? We're drawing attention."

"Yeah, I can see that."

"You're too cute."

"You're too beautiful."

"I try."

"Doesn't look like it."

"Excuse me?"

"I-I'm sorry what was the question?"

"Good."

I opened the door to the store, and stepped through, turning back to Stella, my blonde friend just shrugging me off like I was nothing, obviously pissed about my hormones. I couldn't blame her. I was too. I walked over to the stool behind the counter, putting on the cardigan I had to wear.

"I'll work the cash register, you help out?" I suggested. Stella nodded, and smiled.

"You got it. Oh, and your new Shojo Beat or Lala magazine is in the drawer." I smiled brightly, and nearly leapt off of the stool to grab her in a tight hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Stella laughed.

"Claire, you and your Vampire Knight obsession." I narrowed my eyes.

"Stella, you and your Ouran High School Host Club obsession." I replied, Stella smirking.

"Yes, we all know that I am in love with Suoh Tamaki. I absolutely adore him!" Stella cried. I snorted.

"Kiryu Zero all the way." I coughed, as I pulled the magazine out and began flipping through it, heedless of the other mangas in the magazine as I tore through it, desperate for my Vampire Knight.

"Take it easy. Zero's not going anywhere." I reached into my school bag with one hand, my eyes on the page in front of me, as I pulled out my iPod(?). I turned it on, and pressed play on some random song.

"Welcome to my life." I muttered, then turned back to the page, beginning to block everything out.

* * *

"Claire, can you help me over here?"

"Claire! Can you go help Noctis with cooking his rice?"

"CLAIRE! I WANT SOME MONEY!" Damn it all. I lifted my head from Zero's irresistibly adorable face, and blinked, my eyes taking on a hellish glint.

Stella, Serah, and some school girl in front of me widened their eyes, taking in my burning expression, the rush of blood to my face as it began to boil under my skin. They all should know to never get between me and my Vampire Knight. It was like my life blood, one of my only remaining ties to this world.

"What do you all want now?" I asked as calmly as I could, my teeth gritted. The school girl, named Marie, if I was right, blinked a few times, slightly scared.

"I just wanted to buy this shirt, Claire-hime." I jerked my head back. "Princess"? What the hell? That was the nickname _he_ called me. I snapped my teeth together.

"Cid sent you, didn't he?" I asked dryly, taking the shirt from her and scanning it. She held her hands together in front of her, swaying on her feet slightly.

"Yeah." I lifted my head, and blinked once, then smiled gently.

"It's okay. Your total is 39.99." I replied, Marie looking up at me with soft mint green eyes.

"Are you sure?" I nodded my whole head once, and took her money.

"Yep. You're all set, Marie. See you in school tomorrow." I waved my right hand, Marie turning and walking toward the door.

"Wait. I…I want to be your friend, Claire." I widened my eyes, and looked back at her, surprised.

"You…What?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion. Marie stopped, and turned around to face me.

"I want to be your friend. You're not, all that scary, Claire Farron." She replied, smiling gently. I tilted my head to the side a little more, and closed my left eye playfully.

"Whoever said that?" I replied, as Marie started walking back over to me, Stella smiling as Serah giggled slightly. Marie smirked, and shook her head.

"I'm not saying-" I narrowed my eyes wryly.

"Cid Raines?"

"Yeah."

"I thought so."

"CLAIRE! I NEED HELP WITH MY RICE!" I felt my body jolt from surprise, and surprise alone. I whirled around, my eyes narrowing.

"FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF, YOU IDIOT!" I screeched in reply, Noctis storming over to me and shoving his face into mine.

"YOU'RE HELPING ME! STELLA TOLD ME TO GET YOU TO HELP, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HELP EVEN IF I HAVE TO DRAG YOU KICKING AND SCREAMING!" Noctis replied, grabbing me by my wrist as tightly as he possibly could, and beginning to tow me toward the stairs.

I stumbled after him, my Vampire Knight falling to the floor, Stella smirking as Serah giggled, Marie watching with horror filled eyes. She was new to the group, so she didn't know that this was normal. Noctis and I both clashed, and leaned on each other at the same time. Or at least I leaned on him. I grabbed his wrist, the one attached to the hand holding onto me, and struggled.

"Let me go!" I cried, pulling against him as hard as I could, my feet sliding along the floor. Noctis didn't stop, he just continued to tow me to the stairs, dragging me through piles of boxes, books, clothes.

"No way. You'll run away from me the instant I let go." I widened my eyes.

"No, I wouldn't." I replied, struggling with everything I had. Noctis turned and looked at me out of one eye.

"You're lying." I narrowed my eyes and pulled on him as hard as I could.

"Who do you think you are to tell me that? How would you know if I was lying unless you-AGHHH!" My foot slid backwards, caught on a piece of clothing, the rest of my body flying through the air, heading toward Noctis's back.

"Claire!" He swung around, letting go of my hand, and holding his arms out, as I fell toward him.

My eyes, wild and blazing, focused on the stairs behind him with horror. If he took my weight, he'd crash into the stairs and hurt himself. I looked down, knowing there was no way to stop myself from falling. Even if I caught myself, I'd still crash into him and likely make him fall. I closed my eyes as tightly as I possibly could. We were going down.

I winced as my weight struck him in the chest, my gritted teeth coming down on my bottom lip, as we began to fall backwards, Noctis's arms held out beside me, as we fell forward, the stairs coming closer and closer to his spine and back. My heart trembled in my chest, my breath catching. _Please, don't get hurt! _

Noctis winced when his back hit the stairs, my front side slamming into his chest harshly, Noctis's arms coming down on my elbows as he flinched and grimaced in pain, my lips parting as I released the breath I was holding back, the piles of boxes and books and clothes we'd crashed into falling all around us and on top of us. Thankfully, none hit us.

"Noctis, are you alright?" I asked, immediately lifting myself up over him, my blue eyes desperately concerned. He slowly lifted his head, and nodded, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, I'm alright." He answered, weakly, blinking once. I couldn't help but smile, as my azure eyes sparkled.

"Thank goodness." I answered softly, as he looked back at me, slightly confused. He sat up, my butt falling onto his knees, my hands moving to his shoulders to dust him off as he shifted into a comfortable position for his back.

"Are you, alright too Claire?" I nodded, smiling gently.

"Of course, I'm alright. Wait, what's that sliding noise?" I looked around, turning my head. Suddenly, it stopped. This was weird. Maybe I was imagining things.

"What sliding noise?" Noctis asked, his eyes focused on mine intently. I shook my head.

"Never mind it's-" Swack! Something slammed into the back of my head, sending my head flying forward.

Softness. My lips hit something soft. Something soft, sweet, and warm. I wasn't exactly sure what it was, but, the only thing I was sure of was that it was warm and soft. It couldn't be an arm, or a collarbone. It couldn't be a chest or heart. It had to be something that was soft and warm. Like…

I opened my eyes, slowly, then squinting. _That's weird. My eyes aren't focusing._ I felt sleepy. Almost like how you feel when you first wake up after you've slept long and well. I squinted, struggling to focus. _Steel blue…What…?_ I watched the steel blue throb, almost in what seemed like surprise. Warmth touched the tops of my cheeks, at which I lazily blinked at.

My vision cleared, my eyes widening in seconds as I realized where I was, and what I was doing. I was…Kissing Noctis. Oh shit. But how had I gotten there? I knew I didn't lean in or pull him closer to me. But how had my lips ended up touching his? My eyes widened again. The thing that had hit me!

It must've hit me just right in the back of the head to send me flying toward him. I could feel myself begin to blush, as Noctis and I's eyes met, both entirely different shades of blue. The presence of something pushing against my forehead alerted me that not only were our lips touching, but the rest of our faces too.

We didn't move, frozen in place, the book falling to the floor after sliding off of my back, the slamming of the book into the floor being the only sound you could hear in the entire store. Everyone had stopped and turned toward us, even the shoppers, drawn to the sound of our arguing.

I didn't want to move. The warmth was spreading, filling every pore of my entire being with heat and kindness. It felt good, extremely good. I closed my eyes, and sat there, just enjoying the luminous warmth as it flowed through my veins, breaking the ice and filling its place with bright fire.

It felt like I was staring blindly into the sun. My heart pulsed with butterflies, each of the wing beats claiming every single one of my heart beats, the pulses hitting the sides of the melting cage that my heart had been locked inside ever since my parents had died. My broken armor had been restored. I was becoming myself again.

I closed my eyes, and pulled away, lifting my hands to each side of his face, and looked into his throbbing eyes. They were shocked, startled, surprised. As they should be. I smiled gently, and blinked. He was cute when he was unsettled. Oh shit for the second time. I sat back, my butt coming down on his knees again.

"Are you alright?" I asked, unafraid of facing him directly. Noctis nodded, his eyes wide.

"Yeah. I'm alright. But, why did you…?" I let my head fall slightly as I smiled, biting back laughter.

"Do you honestly think I would kiss you of my own free will?" I asked teasingly, opening my eyes playfully. His lip curled up.

"Good point. Does your head hurt?" I shook my head, wincing slightly.

"A little bit, but, not all that much. How's your back?" I asked, our locked eye contact staying solid. Noctis shook his head, smiling slightly as he shifted.

"It's alright." I nodded my whole head once, and smiled.

"I'm glad you're not hurt, Noctis." I replied softly, Noctis tilting his head slightly.

"Same to you, Claire." A rush of footsteps behind us brought us back, Noctis glancing at the surge of people over my shoulder. I lifted my left hand from his face and turned around, my right hand remaining on his cheek lightly.

"Claire! Noctis! Are you two alright?" Stella asked, running toward us, her blonde hair flying out behind her, Serah close behind, Marie standing still with her hand over her mouth. I nodded, as Stella crashed to her knees beside me.

"Yeah, we're okay." I answered. Noctis snorted.

"More or less." He added, Serah giggling. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"What?" She pointed to my hand, the one that was on his face. Oh shit for the third time.

"You're in _love_." She teased, my cheeks going pink.

"No I'm not!" I protested, Serah pointing and laughing.

"Claire loves Noctis! Claire loves Noctis!" I let the dragon run wild.

"SHUT UP SERAH WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT LOVE ANYWAY? HUH? YOU SAY YOU LOVE THIS GUY NAMED SNOW VILLIERS AND YET YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO BE ABLE TO FEEL IT! SO DON'T EVEN TEASE ME ABOUT THIS!"I roared, Serah just snorting and looking away.

"Your reaction says it all." I stopped dead. She was right. Oh shit for the last time. Noctis smiled, and grabbed my free wrist gently.

"It's okay. Anyway, will you help me with my rice?"

"As long as you don't drag me kicking and screaming."

"We wouldn't want you crashing into me again, now would we?"

"You-"

"Just relax. I'm only messing with you."

"More like sexually harassing me."

"That's a little drastic."

"You're a little drastic."

"You're impossible."

"We're making a scene again."

"Oh right."


	7. Bring Me Back

**Author's Note**: Been a little while. Anyway, not really much to say only that the plot finally moved. I made Claire go insane because I felt like it, even though it's really weird. And the fact that the magic thing is really weird too. But it was the only way I'd be able to get to where I want to go. Anyway, this chapter was inspired by "Bring Me To Life" by: Evanesence, and "Savior" by: Skillet, and so, naturally, I applied them to each of the characters, sort of like a songfic. You'll see how, I hope. Anyway, I really liked the part where Noctis and Claire have a moment. xD It was cute and I was fangirling over it the entire time I wrote it. "Dirty Laundry"'s next, so, yeah. xD Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. xD

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, "Bring Me To Life", "Savior", Evanesence, Skillet, or anything else that si obviously not mine in this chapter. I have a feeling that I forgot to mention some things, so I'll just say this, I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I OWN NOTHING! NOTHING AT ALL! I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING!

* * *

"Okay, so we put it in for thirty more minutes?" Noctis asked, walking toward the microwave, his finger on the buttons, looking back at me for confirmation. I smiled and shook my head.

"No, you dufus. Thirty more seconds." I answered, Noctis narrowing his eyes as he pushed in the numbers.

"You're so harsh." He muttered, pressing the "start" button. I smiled, and walked toward the counter, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Yeah, well, you kind of have to be when your parents pass away suddenly. The only way to not get hurt in this world is to be harsh and uncaring." I replied, leaning my butt up against the countertop. He swung around. I gulped, realizing what I had just said.

"Your parents are dead?" He asked, taking a step toward me. I tried to back away, but the counter stopped me.

"Uh…"

"You've been living on your own this whole entire time?" Another step. Another shot of pain in my lower back.

"I wouldn't say that." He wasn't buying it. He walked toward me, putting both of his hands on the counter on both sides of my torso, pinning me to the counter where I stood.

"But you just said it. You said that your parents died suddenly. Don't lie to me." I averted my eyes, my pink hair falling over my face.

What could I do? What was I supposed to do? Should I lie to him? Should I break down, or hold it in, knowing that at the end, I was weak? Should I just give up trying to be strong and let him comfort me, hold me, cradle me? I felt tears gather at the corners of my eyes, the salty sting making me catch my breath.

I was pathetic. I knew I had to say something. He was waiting for me to say something. You could feel it in how tense his hands were on the counter top beside me. I could feel the anger and surprise rolling off of him with each of his pounding heartbeats. Just feeling the warmth and anger made me want to hide and crumble behind the walls I'd desperately struggled to build.

I wanted to shut him out. I wanted to shut him out with everything I had. I didn't want him to be anywhere near me. I didn't like to be vulnerable. I didn't like showing emotion to anyone but myself, and even then, I'd scoff at my weakness. I didn't like being weak. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to be what Serah thought I was. I wanted to live up to her expectations, to be the best sister in the world. But I knew I would never be.

I swallowed the breath I'd caught shakily, my heart fluttering in my chest. I couldn't hide it from him. Not him of all people. I couldn't keep this up. I'd told Mrs. Fleuret, and now, I'd have to tell him. I couldn't bear letting him know my secret, my deep dark secret, but, something told me that he wanted to comfort me, even though I was so cold and unfeeling. The tears slid down the sides of my face as I lifted my head up, turning toward him.

"They're dead. They've been dead for a while now." I murmured, my voice shaking, but still solid. Noctis blinked.

"How long?" I sighed quietly. This wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The words weren't coming all that slowly. Could it be perhaps that I wanted to lie?

"My father died first. Then about a year ago my mother passed away." I answered clearly, my voice strong. Noctis leaned back a little bit, dropping one hand from the countertop.

"You've been living on your own this whole time?" He asked, his voice quiet. I nodded, turning away again.

I couldn't face him. Not like this. I was breaking down, showing weakness, something I was desperately running away from. It was on my heels, clawing after me like the monster that I harbored inside, that dragon of a temper, it's teeth snapping at the backs of my feet, the venom sinking in, poisoning me all the way down to my core.

But his eyes, those eyes, those hauntingly anguished eyes, they could see right through me like open doors. My soul was right there, out in the open. No walls could block his vision. He could see my heart encased in the powdery blue ice deep in the depths of my eyes. No matter what I tried to hide, lies that I told, burdens I'd chosen to bear, pain I'd been forced to endure, he could see it all. He could see it all with those eyes. Those steel blue eyes that brought me so much confusion.

"…Yes." I replied quietly, my voice barely audible. He clenched his hand into a fist, and gritted his teeth.

"Are you stupid? Why didn't you ask for help? Why didn't you come to me? Why didn't you go to the Fleurets? Why didn't you tell Serah?" I felt my heart begin to crack, taking the blow intended for the wall I'd tried to swing in front of myself, but to no avail. I was numb. The pain didn't even hurt.

"I didn't want anyone to know. I wanted to bear this burden by myself. I am the eldest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Farron. If they'd taught me anything, it was to be able to take care of myself." _Or so I thought. _He slammed his fist down on the countertop beside my left rib.

"You fool! That's so selfish! Did you even stop to think about what could happen to you if the government found out?" I snorted, and turned to look at him out of narrowed eyes, my crackling heart shielded.

"I did, as a matter of fact. I know what'll happen to me, and Serah. But I can handle it. Don't stick your nose in places it doesn't belong, _Prince_. You won't get hurt as much that way." I mocked bitterly, my lip curling up into a callous smile. Noctis's eyes burned.

"Don't even think about taking that tone with me, _Claire_. You know I'm right. You can't handle it. You aren't strong enough to bear all of these burdens you taken upon yourself to bear. And what about Serah-" I closed my eyes.

"Don't drag Serah into this. That'll just piss me off." I replied, snorting. His eyes bored into the wall I'd created to veil my heart from his sight.

"You're lying, Claire." I shook my head, and smiled bitterly. My heart cracked once more.

"How would you know? You can't read my mind." I answered, turning away from him, those eyes, those haunting eyes.

"I can see it. I can see it all." I bit my bottom lip, and closed my eyes, struggling to hold back the tears that began to fall down the sides of my face again. I had to get away.

"You can't see anything! I'm not lying to you, Noctis!" I cried, tossing my head as I roared in reply, my narrowed blue eyes turning a shade darker, colder. Noctis grabbed my chin in his hand tightly, holding my head still.

"Then why are you trying to shield yourself?" I shook my head, wrenching my head back and forth. It was useless. The walls were crumbling down, all because of him.

"I-I'm not! Let me go!" I protested, glaring at him out of one eye. His face swam in front of my blurry vision, the tears making it harder and harder for me to see.

"I can see it…I know why now…I know why you're hurting so badly…" I widened my eyes in fear. How could he know? How could he possibly know about it?

"You're afraid. You're afraid to open up. You're afraid to let anyone get close to you, because you don't want to lose them too. That's why you turn down every guy that asks you out. You don't want to lose them. You feel cursed, like you aren't meant to love or feel loved, and yet, you feel something toward somebody, I can see it shining deep inside of your eyes. But you're afraid to tell this person anything, because you don't want to lose him, you don't want to hurt him anymore than you already are." I shook my head, protesting silently, as Noctis leaned forward with a soft smile on his face, his lips brushing across my left cheek, his steel blue eyes boring into mine.

"But you don't have to worry. You don't have to distance yourself from others in order to be strong, Claire." I gritted my teeth, turning my face away from him, keeping my heart away from his wretched eyes, growing more and more numb. Noctis slid his face closer to me, his mouth by my left ear.

"Let me in, Claire…I know what you want, need, and have…For I know your pain…" I shook my head, closing my eyes as tightly as I could, snapping my teeth together as hard as I could.

"No…No…NO!" I cried, lifting my hands up, grabbing his wrist and trying to pry his hand away from my chin, but it didn't budge. I was trapped.

"It's pointless to struggle. I have you right where I want you. You can't resist me, and you know that. See how weakly you cling to me? Feel how pink your cheeks are? You need me." My eyes flashed open, looking over at him as I turned my head toward him slightly, his haunting eyes boring into mine, seeing through the open doors into my writhing soul.

"I know…What you got…What you want…What you need… " He murmured, as he wrapped his arms around me, holding me close, as I struggled. I let the tears fall, I let the tears fall as I broke down, my heart cracking one more time.

"Don't touch me. Don't hold me. I need to bear this alone, Noctis." I whispered, as he pulled back, his hands holding my elbows lightly.

"That's a lie. You want me to hold you. You want to be held, and you know it. Just give up. I can see right through you." I shook my head, taking a step forward, my tears falling down both sides of my face again.

"Why…? Why are you so desperate to help me…?" I asked shakily, knowing that I was unstable physically, mentally, and more than likely emotionally, but despite that I kept advancing, Noctis watching me with cold eyes.

"Because you're crying out for it. You don't think that I can't hear your sadness in your voice? You don't think I can't feel your anger whenever you explode at me? You don't think I can't see your heart breaking right now, right in front of me?" I shook my head, my eyes throbbing.

I was so confused. I wanted to open up to him, I truly did, but then I didn't want him to know everything, the things I'd done, the things I'd tried to hide. I knew I was coming undone, the laces I securely tied around my rib cage, the chains I'd bound around my heart, the armor I'd locked myself inside, the shell I'd breathed and cried in, everything was crashing and breaking. My eyes were shaking, my breathing was ragged, my face was pale as a sheet, making my hair look all the more pinker, my eyes all the more bluer, as everything broke.

The dusty glaze that had been hampering my mind's eye shattered into a million pieces as I fell into that dark, cold, black abyss that awaited me, my hands holding my face as voices drifted past me, my limp body, as the ribbons of black and white light swirled around me. The oblivion was waiting to swallow me into despair, anxiously waiting for the moment where it could take and eat my soul from the inside, freezing my blood in my veins and diving straight for the one thing I couldn't conceal. The one thing that was most vulnerable.

"You're going mad, aren't you?" I clutched my hands to the sides of my head, as the freezing cold swept through me, my inner self falling into that dark oblivion, reaching out for something, somebody, anything to bring it out of it, to stop it from growing numb.

"It's all breaking around you, isn't it?" I dropped to my knees, closing my eyes tightly as I held the sides of my head as tightly as I could, breathing hard, my eyes widening with shock as I watched the white cloud of cold air fly out of my mouth. _My breath…It's frozen? _

"I'm cold…So cold…" My eyes throbbed as my words escaped my frosted lips, the powder blue irises crackling as they too iced over.

The life, the blood that had supported me, the warm ruby liquid that had kept me alive for so long began freezing in my veins, as the chillingly numbing cold washed over me, my arms wrapping around myself. But that brought no relief, no warmth. I just became colder, my head lifting upward as the icy frost flew off of me in the sudden wind that surged through the room from the stairs, my face paralyzed.

"You feel numb now, don't you?" I felt the icy cold wrap around me, stream through my veins, freezing everything in its path, slowly killing me with its bitterness.

"…Help…Me…" I shakily whispered, watching the luminous snow fall from the ceiling, from the suddenly dark skylight, the snowflakes falling into my frosted hair.

"You brought it all on yourself, Claire. Only you can free yourself of the burdens you've chosen to bear." I looked up at the softness of the voice, the femininity. My snow encrusted eyes widened.

"Mother…?" I asked weakly, struggling to move my limbs, but the ice had frozen them to the floor. She scoffed, her blue eyes, so much softer and gentler than mine, angered.

"I told you didn't I? I told you to look after Serah, and this is the best you can do? You disappoint me, Claire Farron. Fighting without hope, it's only a way to die." Any of the tears I had left, if any of the tears I could cry now fell, they shattered the instant they hit the floor at her feet.

I could feel what was left of my heart breaking in my chest, the glistening pieces of stardust flying out of my limp fingers as the shape of my mother blew away, leaving the cold to finish me off, to kill me. There was no warmth left in me. I was frozen, numb, cold. I was nothing. I was nothing to her. I had no light or warmth to cling to.

"Bid my blood to run…" I murmured, a flicker of steel blue flashing in surprise behind the solid mask of ice that was slowly covering my face.

"What?" His voice held no appeal to me now. I was too far gone. He couldn't save me now.

"Claire!" _Serah_. _I'm sorry I failed you…I'm sorry I let you all down…_Knees crashed to the floor in front of me.

"Claire, wake up! It's all in your head!" I let my eyes glisten with fresh tears, the ice melting away from my eye sockets.

"Before I come undone…" Stella was next, her hands on my shoulders, her purple eyes wide as she shook me.

"What are you saying, Claire? Serah, get some help, would you?" Stella cried, Serah shaking where she was standing, her eyes throbbing as she held her hand over her mouth.

"Save me from the nothing I've become…" Noctis took my face in his hands, his eyes narrowed and angry.

"Claire, listen to me, you're going insane! You're going mad! You hear me?" My arms fell from my rib cage, limply laying on the floor beside me as I gazed at Noctis listlessly, my tears freezing as they hit the floor.

"Bring me to life…" Serah's voice began to shake behind me.

"Claire…" She murmured, frozen in place, unable to move from where she stood. Stella's hands started trembling as Noctis narrowed his eyes.

"I'm gonna be your savior." Stella swung her head toward him, her mouth falling open.

"What're you saying Noctis? Save her from what? What the _hell_ is going on here?" She demanded, glancing from Noctis to me, and then back. Noctis leaned closer, his eyes narrowing even tighter.

"Claire, listen to me. Don't push me away…Serah!" She jolted from her reverie, and ran to Noctis, tears falling to the floor around me.

"Yes?" She asked shakily, Noctis turning and looking up at her, his face level.

"I need you and Stella to leave the room, and call for help. I drove Claire insane. I kept pushing her when I shouldn't have. And now, she isn't even herself anymore. Serah, I don't want you to be afraid. So in case Claire doesn't come back, I don't want you to be in the room." Serah began sobbing, Stella wrapping her arms around her tightly as she looked back at Noctis.

"What is wrong with Claire, Noctis?" She asked, glancing at me then back. Noctis sighed.

"She's hyperventilating. But, she isn't growing hot like she should be. She's freezing cold. It hurts just to touch her." Stella's eyes shook.

"I'm calling the hospital right away. Serah, let's go." Stella pulled Serah up into her arms, and ran down the stairs toward the phone, Serah screaming for me from over Stella's shoulder as she shut the door behind her. Noctis turned to me once they were gone, his eyes level.

"You were visited by an Eidolon, weren't you?" I didn't respond. I couldn't respond. I couldn't answer. Noctis looked down, down at my chest where my heart should be.

"Yeah…The mark's there…" He murmured, running his fingers down my chest, over my heart lightly. My body shivered at his touch.

"Did someone put a spell on you? What kind of magic is this? I didn't sense anyone with magical powers when I first got into the school…My parents told me I'd be safe here, so why are you like this?" Pressure on my heart made my breath catch.

"…Noc…tis…" I barely managed to murmur, my frozen lips refusing to move. He slid his hands up further, his palms resting on my ears as his fingers entwined themselves in my frosted hair, his thumbs smoothing over my temples.

"Well, it doesn't matter. I'll break whatever magic you've fallen under, Claire." Then his lips came down on mine.

The sweetness I'd felt the first time, the warmth I'd desperately struggled to push away, to keep from falling into, it washed all of the cold and frost away, slowly blooming through my body, beginning with my face, the ice encrusting it crackling, and slowly breaking off. My eyes opened, as the freezing cold broke off of my temples, as the luminous light that streamed from him wrapped around me.

I didn't resist as my blood flowed freely through my veins, unhindered by the frost and ice that had hampered it for the past few minutes as I'd slowly gone insane, my legs and arms shaking awake, as I slowly regained feeling in my chest, becoming painfully aware of the face that my heart was pounding, the broken pieces slowly melding together, as the warmth flowed through my veins.

The wind that had frozen me, the wind that had surged into the room from the stairs, it now spiraled around me, carrying my loose collarbone short pink hair around my head, the shorter side pieces bumping up against his fingers as he held my face still, as if I'd want to turn away. This warmth felt amazingly good. The wind ruffled my skirt, the hem rippling against my thighs as I stayed still, on my knees in front of him, my eyes wide open.

My inner self, the one that had been falling into the darkness of despair, she lifted her hand from her unfrozen heart, her eyes pleading for comfort, reaching toward the light that flew toward her, the darkness's binds hanging onto her as its teeth snapped at her back, her hand shaking limply. The light wrapped itself around her hand as another hand grabbed onto hers, pulling her up out of the darkness and into the light, the warmth that flowed through me.

I smiled against Noctis's lips, the warmth burning inside me, reviving my soul as it rose from the dark abyss, warmth wrapping around it as it flowed back into my heart, my whole heart, thanks to him, that prince I'd mocked and beat up a few times. Even after all of that, he'd helped me. He'd helped me come back to him, myself. He'd stopped me from going insane. Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill over

"…Thank you…" I murmured once Noctis pulled backwards a little bit, his forehead leaning on mine, his hands holding my head tenderly.

"That shouldn't happen to you again. I don't know who the _hell_ put you under that spell, but all I know is that it's forbidden. In my country at least." He muttered, opening his eyes slowly, my blue irises throbbing at the sight of his bloody crimson ones.

"What-What the-?" I gasped, my irises throbbing. Magic? It was real?

"Are you alright now, Claire?" He asked, as the streams and ribbons of light flowed past my head, the wind enclosing me in its luminous embrace. Magic…

"Just what…Happened to me?" I asked, my right hand shaking in front of my mouth, Noctis's hand dropping to my heart from the left side of my head.

"Your power nearly swallowed you. It's a good thing I was able to stop it in time, or else you would've went Cie'th." I widened my eyes.

"But I'm not-" He nodded, his eyes closing.

"I know. That's exactly what bothers me. You shouldn't have been able to see Odin, let alone have such strong magical abilities as you do. Someone put a spell on you. But I wonder who and why." He murmured, sitting back a little bit, his hand dropping from the right side of my face.

"Magic exists? It's real?" I asked, Noctis nodding, lifting his crimson irises to my powder blue ones, my breath shaking in fear. He widened his eyes for a split second.

"M-Monster…" I whispered, laying my hands on his chest, my fingers curled in tightly, sliding forward. He widened his eyes again, his irises throbbing.

"C-Claire…What are you…?" I slid my legs forward, Noctis's mouth falling open as I pressed my forehead to his, our eyes throbbing centimeters away from each other, my heart pulsing underneath his hand. Monster or not, I was bound to him now.

"What spell was that, the magic you used on me? How did you make the ice break away?" I murmured against the top of his nose, right between his eyes.

"It was…Clarity." He sighed, defeated. I smiled slightly, then pulled back, looking him deep in the eyes, our faces level.

"Clarity, huh? Is it an incantation? Like the legends of the Goddess Etro?" I asked smoothly, as the wind ruffled our hair, rose petals flying through the air around us. His eyes widened.

"How do you know about the Goddess Etro?" He asked suddenly, grabbing my right elbow in his left hand tightly. I thought for a second.

I knew I'd heard of it somewhere. We'd gone over some pieces of ancient text the government had found on Pulse a few years ago, but those pieces didn't have anything in them about the Goddess Etro. How had I figured it out? I thought back on the times I'd been in the library waiting for Serah to be done with her extra help sessions with her teachers. I'd found some more ancient text, but nothing about the Goddess Etro.

I thought back further, to when my father and I had visited the country I called Crystallis, Noctis's country. I closed my eyes, trying to remember every conversation I'd overheard, been a part of, been told about. My eyes flashed open. The man! The man from Tenebrae! The noble who'd accompanied my father and I to the throne room when we'd first arrived. He'd spoken to the King about "The Light of the Night Sky", and had said something about the Goddess Etro. But what was it that he'd said? I focused on Noctis, his soft and gentle smile as he leaned back slightly, his head tilted slightly.

"Why're you staring at me like that?" I asked, Noctis blinking once.

"Just watching you think. You won't be able to figure it out, you know." I snorted in response, huffing steam out of my mouth.

"You don't have much faith in me, I see." I replied, Noctis smiling slightly.

"It's not that, it's just…You haven't been exposed to it as much as I have." I became painfully aware of the hand that was lying over my heart.

"What do you mean?" He sighed, and shook his head, smirking.

"It's a royal secret." I narrowed my eyes, and snarled.

"So you're going to hold the royalty thing over my head now, is that it?" I retorted hotly, my frosty blue eyes narrowing. His crimson eyes met mine, glowing brightly. He was enjoying this.

"Not really. There are some things I just can't tell you. That being one of them." He answered, his voice soft, as if he were exhausted, or weakened. My eyes warmed up as I took the gentler path, my temper dying in my mouth, my sharp tongue sinking back into myself.

"Are you alright?" I asked lifting my right hand to the side of his face, Noctis leaning his head onto my palm, his eyes drifting shut.

"Yeah…" He replied, his voice gentle and quiet.

Despite the chills that were running up and down the length of my body, I Ieaned forward, and wrapped my arms around him, holding his head over my shoulder gently, my face buried in the side of his head, resting in the cocoon of silvery black hair. My hand wove into the strands at the back of his head, my other hand wrapped around his shoulder, holding him close to me. His hand remained on my heart, my pounding heart, as his warm breath blew over my shoulder, ruffling my pink hair.

"…You're amazing, Noctis…Truly…Thank you…" I murmured, as he rested against me, the rose red petals swirling around us in the tender wind, as he leaned on me. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, sirens ringing outside the store, the house above the store, the entire building.

"Noctis, is Claire-" I hugged him closer to me, turning my head, and widening my powder blue eyes. Stella faced me, Serah cowering behind her.

"Claire, you're, alright now?" I nodded, and smiled, lifting my chin to Serah.

"I'm sorry I scared you. But I'm alright now, I promise." I pointed out, Serah's tears spilling over her cheeks as she ran toward me, throwing her arms around me, heedless of the passed out Noctis that was lying against my chest.

"Hey! Take it easy, will you?" I cried, as Serah sobbed into my hair, Stella walking over to the window, and opening the curtains slightly.

"You caused quite an uproar, Claire. You had Cid jumping around the store crying out for you anxiously like he had an ice cube in his pants or something." She replied, crossing her arms over her chest and facing me with narrowed celeste eyes. I snorted.

"That wasn't an ice cube, Stells." I pointed out, Stella shivering in discomfort.

"What a pervert." She muttered, before shaking one last time, then turning to the curtains. I nodded, as Serah continued crying onto the side of my neck.

"Is Noctis alright?" She asked, looking at me out of one eye. I looked down at Noctis, and nodded.

"Yeah, he's fine. Just tired. I think he overexerted himself." I laughed quietly, smiling down at him. She wasn't as carefree.

"Were his eyes crimson colored?" I nodded, my face expectant. What was going on?

"Yeah, why? Is there something wrong with that?" Stella sighed in response, leaning up against the window sill.

"That idiot. He wasn't supposed to use anything like that while he was staying here. Now they'll track him down." She muttered quietly, and yet I was still able to hear her. What was going on here?

"Why? Who'll track him down?" I looked down at Noctis, his closed eyes, his peaceful expression. Who wanted to find him?

"Claire, there are some things that you can't know. And that's one of them." I couldn't help but smile.

"Noctis told me that just a little while ago." I pointed out, as Serah lifted her face from my neck, wiping her eyes.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, Claire! Stella told me that you were going insane, and that Noctis was going to help you! I don't ever wanna see you like that again!" She cried, shaking me by my shoulders. I smiled, and nodded.

"Okay…" I lifted my hand from Noctis's shoulder, and put it on Serah's head gently.

"I'm sorry for scaring you, Serah. Make sure you thank Noctis when he wakes up, alright?" I ordered, Serah smiling and nodding.

"I sure will! It's what a princess has to do, after all!" She replied. Stella and I smiled, as Noctis stirred, his eyes twitching as his body moved slightly. I looked down, my hand wrapping around his shoulder again, as his eyes opened, then closed again.

"…Claire…" He whispered contentedly, his hand pressing against my heart again, Serah widening her eyes at us. I knew what she was thinking, and at the moment, I didn't care.

"Claire, do you and Noctis love each other?" Serah asked, pointing at how closely I was holding him and the hand that was on my heart. I smiled and held him closer, sighing slightly.

"Leave it alone, Serah." Stella answered for me, as she walked toward the door at the sound of footsteps. I clutched Noctis to me protectively, as I turned my head, Serah standing behind Stella as she faced the door, her hand on the knob.

"Claire, if it's who I think it is, get Serah and Noctis out of here as fast as you can. I'll be right behind you." I nodded without question, reaching my hand toward Serah.

"Come here, Serah. Stay behind me." I ordered, Serah nodding and running toward me, as I held Noctis tightly. Stella waited beside the door, her eyes and head turned toward it as she flattened herself against the wall.

"Stella Nox Fleuret, are you in there? It's your father." Her purple eyes narrowed.

"As I thought." She muttered, then sighed, regaining her composure.

"Wait just a second, Father. I'm not decent." She called, walking toward Serah, Noctis and I. She knelt down, pulling something out of her pocket.

"Take this, and head over to the train station. Once you get there, take it all the way to Palumpolum, and find my mother. Tell her my father visited, and that I had no other choice but to send Noctis to her. Oh, and another thing, I'll handle locking up your house and grabbing clothes for you and the school thing, so don't worry about it. Take the back exit, and be as quiet as you can. I'm coming right behind you." She whispered, too soft for the man waiting outside her door to hear, but loud enough for Serah and I to hear. I grabbed the little bag full of munny, and nodded.

"You got it. I'll be in touch on my cell phone once I get to the train station, okay? And what about my backpack?" I asked, to which Stella passed me the bag, smirking. I smiled back, and nodded once, turning to Serah as I grabbed Noctis, heaving him up onto my back as Serah scooped up my backpack, and gave Stella one last somber look.

"Are you going to be alright?" She asked, Stella turning around, and smiling from over her shoulder.

"Relax. I'll be fine. Just watch Claire's back for me, okay? She knows the drill." Serah blinked confusedly.

"What drill-?" I grabbed her hand and tugged.

"Let's go." I started walking toward the back of the room, and carefully opened the door, stepping through it slowly, as Serah lightly hopped down the stairs, being careful not to make a sound, as I quietly shut the door behind me, gently setting my feet down on the stairs.

Serah and I continued down the stairs, into the basement, the storage room where the Fleurets kept their shipments, Serah leading me through the maze of boxes, toward the light which I knew to be the outside. She was silent as she walked, probably holding a lot of emotions inside of herself, seeing as how we just left my best friend with her father, the man that she hated the most.

But why all of the secrecy? Why wouldn't Stella and Noctis tell me anything? I was a part of this too. I knew about things I shouldn't, like Odin, Eidolons, l'Cie, fal'Cie, Cie'th, and the Goddess Etro. I could help them. I could help them with whatever they were trying to hide from me. After all, I was their friend. They owed me that much, at the very least. Serah and I made it through the maze, and opened the door to the backyard, the area facing the boardwalk when Noctis stirred again.

"…Claire…Put me…Down…" I shook my head as Serah shut the back door, the wind blowing against our backs gently.

"I can't. Stella's father is here. We have to run, we have to get far, far away from here. All the way up to Palumpolum." I replied, Serah pointing toward the boardwalk, her blue eyes round and wide.

"Snow said to me one time that the train station is up that way. There's a shortcut we can cut through to get there faster." She suggested, as I turned and looked back at the house, Noctis's listless face watching me with dull steel blue eyes.

"Let's do it." I replied, as Serah grabbed my arm and started tugging me down the boardwalk, the water lapping at the sand on our right sides loudly as we neared the shortcut she was speaking of.

"It's not all that far away now." She answered, pointing at the path through the woods. I let my smile drop. It was only like, a few steps away from the grocery store.

"Really, Serah?" I muttered, as we made it to the front doors of the train station seconds later. She looked back.

"What?" I shook my head, and walked through the front doors without another word, Noctis's arms hanging limply over my shoulders as he lifted his head, looking around.

"The train station? What are we doing here?" He asked, as I paid for three tickets and hopped onto the train to Palumpolum in thirty seconds time. I sighed.

"I'll explain after you rest, got it?" I answered as I walked all the way to the back of the train, and found a seat in the empty car, Serah sitting next to me, and sighing as she set the backpack down beside her, Noctis falling onto my left shoulder in exhaustion as I gently sat him down for the long ride to Palumpolum.

"I hope Stella's alright." Serah muttered as the train began moving. I heard footsteps outside the car, and looked up, smiling at the shape I saw through the window.

"She's alright." I answered as she stepped through the door, and Serah nearly tackled her.

"Stella!" She cried, hugging her tightly. I smiled.

"Welcome back from hell." I added, Stella cracking up.

"Yeah, I know right? Alright, everyone rest up. We've got a long day tomorrow."

"How long?"

"Seriously, Serah?"


	8. Against Magic

**Author's Note**: Okay, this chapter was a pain in the butt to write, especially when it came to naming Claire's power. At first, I was going to use "The Knight", but then I figured it would look like I was copying Erza Scarlet since her magical power is called "The Knight" and she can eqiup herself with armor and weapons out of thin air, so I didn't want to use that. I wanted to use "Shunko", but I didn't want to copy Bleach's Shihoin Yoruichi, so I decided on "Scene Drive", since its one of Lightning's moves in FFXIII. Anyway, the plot actually moves now, hopefully. The toen of the chapter abruptly changes, so, be careful. And there is a TON of Lightis fluff, so if you hate Lightis, get out. I've had it with Noctella fans right about now. I was just reading a forum about Noctella vs Lightis, and I can't say anything it made me so mad. Stella fans are driving me nuts. I'm thinking about killing her off right about now. But anyway, that aside, Stella will not be dying anytime soon, for all of you grown up Stella fans. Sorry. I'm a little peeved at the Noctella fandom right now. You know, I have an idea for a new one-shot just by thinking about it...

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Claire Farron (Lightning), Noctis Lucis Caelum, Lightis, or anything else mentioned in this chapter that includes the title, since it is the name of a song from the Fairy Tail OST (It helped me write the ending of the chapter, so I figured the title of the chapter would be a dedication to the Fairy Tail OST. Stupid I know, but hey, I like it), unless its a fanmade character. I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING AT ALL!

* * *

"Where are we going again?" I asked, as the silver-black haired boy tugged on my hand, pulling me through the streets of Palumpolum about two hours after we arrived there.

"We're going to the mall." He answered, turning and looking back at me, smiling. I lifted an eyebrow. A boy going to the mall willingly? There's something wrong here.

"What for?" I asked, stepping up alongside him, blinking my blue eyes a few times. He looked up at the clear azure sky with a wistful smile on his face.

"I just wanted to spend some time alone with you, now that I know you better." I turned away, blushing when he smiled at me. Why was he making me freeze up like that?

"Honestly, you don't know me any better than before." I muttered, his hand sliding up my arm to my elbow as he stopped walking.

"I know you a lot better. For one, I know that your parents are dead. Two, I know that you feel something toward someone. And three…I know that you need me." I bit my bottom lip, and snorted, turning my head away.

He was right. I did need him. I truly did. Who was the one who'd brought me back from the edge of insanity? Noctis Lucis Caelum. And who was the one I got along with better than anyone? Noctis Lucis Caelum. Who's the one that I'm in love with? I widened my eyes, jerking my head back as a blush colored my face. Wait. Where did that come from?

I glanced at him, my eyes tracing the line of his jaw, my fingers twitching as if they wanted to reach out and touch it, to brush across his soft, smooth cheek. My lips tingled, my eyes roving across his, my heart pounding in my chest as hunger flooded through me. That bastard. That damn, addictive, annoying bastard. He knew about my feelings and was deliberately playing with me. Damn him. Damn him to hell and back.

My cheeks grew hot, as I quickly turned my head, just as his blue eyes fell on me, curious as to why I had fallen silent. I didn't blame him. I didn't blame him one bit. Usually, I was talkative, and mostly, beating him up right about now. So, he decided to turn those damn all seeing eyes on me in order to find out what was wrong with me, why I was quiet all of a sudden.

"Claire, are you alright?" He asked, stopping at the front door of the mall. I kept my face as far away as possible, thankful for the shadow that had fallen over it, as well as my pink hair that shielded my blushing face from his eyesight.

"Who do you think you're talking to, Prince?" I mocked, smiling slightly. He tilted his head to the side.

"Why won't you look at me? Did I do something wrong?" _Hell yeah. You intoxicated me, you jerk. _

"No, you're fine. You didn't do anything. You didn't do anything at all." I muttered, watching my shadow. A warm palm cradled the right side of my face, gently turning my head back toward his, my eyes widening.

"I know you better than that. What's wrong?" He asked, looking down at me, his steel blue eyes peering deeply into my narrowing powdery ones, my teeth gritting. _Shit! Gotta look away! _I swung my head to the left, his fingertips resting on my burning cheek.

"Claire…?" I flinched. _Screw it. Just screw it all._

I gulped, and closed my eyes, my heart beating slowly, but each heartbeat pounded inside my chest, struggling to free itself from the cage erected around it. It wanted to go to him. I couldn't blame it. I slowly turned my head toward him, pressing my lips together tightly, my eyes shut as tightly as possible. When I felt the warmth of his gaze upon my closed eyelids, I opened them, meeting his curious stare directly, fearlessly unafraid.

"There's nothing wrong with me, Noctis. Don't worry." I replied, managing a soft, slight smile in the bright sunshine and gentle wind.

The breeze ruffled my pink hair gently, the strands sliding across my cheeks slowly, reaching for his cheeks. My blue eyes glowed, my heart all but stopping dead in my chest. It fluttered gently, like a butterfly. I knew my cheeks were as pink as my hair, the spot under my eyes the pinkest part of my face, my fingers twitching. His palm shifted, as he smiled back, although he still wasn't convinced.

"You're so…Confusing." He muttered, my smile brightening. He wasn't going to push me. Thank god.

"I know. I'm sorry. But I just don't want you to know what I'm really thinking." I answered, peeling his hand off of my face as I turned toward the doors.

I bit my bottom lip. What the _hell_ was that? Why couldn't I just admit to him how I felt? Why couldn't I just come straight out and say how I felt about him? I'd always felt this way about him, well, maybe not as bad as I did now, but, I'd always felt _something_ toward him. He was that little black haired boy that had followed me around when I'd visited Crystallis with my father a few years ago. We were, for all intents and purposes, childhood friends. Okay, we weren't _that_ close, but still.

So why? Why couldn't I just man up and explain to him how I felt about him? Why was he confusing me so much? And why him? Why couldn't I feel this way toward Cid, someone that everyone else had fallen for? Why did I have to feel this way toward Noctis, of all people? Was there something wrong with my genetics? Was there something wrong with my DNA? Or was I over thinking this? I didn't know anything anymore.

I closed my eyes, and held my hands still at my sides, the wind ruffling my black miniskirt, my favorite skirt that Serah had handed up to me, my button up white sleeveless silk-like top's collar blowing around in the constant breeze, my pink hair bumping up against my temples lightly. I heard Noctis shift, but I held my silence, turning my head to look back at him from over my shoulder, my left powder blue eye opening, my pink hair blowing into it as my head whirled. _Damn it. Not this again. _

"Just what…Are you thinking, Claire?" He answered, taking a step toward me, my right foot sliding to the left as I turned around, my eyes level.

"Why do you want to know? Are you curious?" I asked, standing my ground. I wasn't surrendering today. He brushed past me, taking my hand in his again, turning to look back at me from over his shoulder.

"Why would I ask if I wasn't curious?" I could've face palmed. I'm such a fool.

"Sorry." I murmured, as we walked into the mall, the large, open ceiling sending beams of light down onto the floor. Noctis tilted his head to the side, and smirked.

" Why're you so down all of a sudden? You were just fine when we left Stella's mother's place." He asked, his eyes concerned. I bit my tongue, and looked down.

Just thinking about him, made me think about my near fall into insanity. The cold feeling. The ice around my heart. The horrible despair I had been falling into as I sobbed flakes of frozen snow. Just looking at him made me think of it. It hurt to think about being frozen. Was my power really that strong? And what power was he speaking of? I clutched my hand over my heart. It ached.

"I'm sorry, Noctis. I'm sorry for yesterday. I didn't mean to cause all of that…I just pitied myself…And I got swallowed up in it. I hurt Serah…And I hurt Stella…But worst of all, I hurt you." I replied quietly, taking one step closer, keeping my face down. He looked back at me, eyes wide, but silent. For a few heartbeats.

"Claire, I told you not to worry about it. Just relax. I would do what I did yesterday a thousand times over if you ever fall again. I promise you that." I widened my throbbing eyes.

"Noc…tis…" I murmured, as the wind ruffled my pink hair tenderly. He nodded once.

"I mean that, so please, smile for me. I don't like you when you're hurting. Besides, you look a lot prettier when you smile." He answered, laying his right hand on my cheek softly, using his thumb to lift my chin slightly.

I couldn't look away. I was caught, caught like a bird in a snare. Those all seeing eyes were going to peer through my eyes like they weren't even there, and find my heart deep inside the darkness that lurked inside me, waiting for another opportunity to pounce. I could feel it, snarling and hissing as it held its teeth around my beating heart, waiting for the right moment to bite down on it, to grip it tightly and drag it down into the fathomless abyss of blackness and desolation that had nearly swallowed me.

"You're still in pain, aren't you?" Crimson irises stared me in the face when I opened my eyes. My irises throbbed.

"W-What's-" A hand fell over my heart, as my left hand dropped to my side, those lonely, longing crimson irises looked into the windows to my soul.

"Your power's in check…Your heartbeat is normal…You aren't cold or hot…Nothing's wrong with you…" He muttered, his eyes flashing, a flash of blue lighting up behind him as he gripped my chin in his hand.

"What're you-" A forehead came down on mine, a smile whispered across the top of my nose.

"Just relax." I sighed, as he pressed his hand over my heart, the wind ruffling my pink hair, ribbons of light, the same ones from yesterday flying around me. I lifted my hands up, holding his face tenderly, and gently pushed it away.

"Not here. Don't do that here." Noctis's dull steel blue eyes opened tiredly.

"But you're still in pain…" He protested weakly, gesturing to my throbbing heart. I bit my bottom lip, and shook my head.

"Don't worry about me. Let's just get what we need, and then you can do whatever you want with me." I answered, holding him close, and scanning the crowd.

Stella had warned me that if Noctis used his powers, there would be people that would come after him, drawn to the purity of his strength and magic. The one thing she didn't tell me is what they'd look like. Or what they'd do, or how they'd behave. She hadn't told me anything, except to make sure he didn't use his powers, whatever those were.

"If someone finds him, I'm counting on you to protect him. You're a knight, after all." Stella had said, rubbing Noctis's unconscious face gently, as he'd slept quietly on the couch beside Stella and me.

I turned, looking all over the place, the wind and feeling of foreboding getting stronger and stronger, as I braced myself, getting ready for the impending fight. I had to be strong. I had to protect the one thing that mattered most to me at the moment. The pitifully fragile human being lying vulnerably in my arms. I had to protect him.

"Hey little girl, hand over the boy and you can go free." I blinked, and turned my head, the sky suddenly getting dark.

"Not interested." I answered, watching more men come out from the shadows, surrounding Noctis and I, bearing swords and weapons. I was defenseless as well.

"We mean it. Hand over the boy, and you can go free." I shook my head, as something hummed inside me, holy power surging through my veins, as Noctis's hand became limp on my heart, my eyes flashing down toward him.

"Noctis, you've gotta wake up. We're in trouble here." I murmured gently, holding him tightly, shielding him as best I could. No response. It was all up to me. There was no one else.

"If you won't give us the kid, I'll chop that pretty head off of your neck." I gently turned around, lying Noctis down on a bench, as I held my right hand in front of me, closing my eyes. Now how to call upon it…The holy power roared through me, begging for release. Stella's words rang in my head. My eyes opened.

My blue eyes narrowed as rose petals swirled around my glowing right arm, the wind ruffling my pink hair as I stared down at the bright pink light that had enclosed my arm. My eyes glittered as my bangs blew into them, the men staring at me, terrified. They should be.

"Scene Drive!" A handle brushed up against my palm, and I grabbed onto it, the all but faded sunlight shining up and down the length of the blade, the silver light flashing across my eyes like fire, small engravings on the blade making me smile.

"White flash. Call upon my name." The men stared at me, then Noctis, who was breathing heavily, labored. He was sick. Or weakened. I had to finish this. I held my sword out to my right side, watching the men carefully, my eyes going on instinct, scanning them cautiously.

"She's a Knight? I thought they'd died out!" One of them said, as the ground under my feet began to glow rose pink, petals swirling in the air around me, thunder crackling from the sky above.

"Oh no. The Knight of Truth is coming! Let's get out of here!" Another shrieked, the leader standing firm. I lifted my sword up to my throat, the slicing end pointing at him, as thunderous footsteps echoed across the sky.

"I'm going to stop you." Lightning shattered the sky above my head, my pink hair flying up into the sky as the rose pink power sent crackling bolts of electric magic up into the sky around me, my strength booming.

"…Claire…" A horse whinnied at Noctis's weak voice, Odin appearing down the street, running toward us, as the men began to turn tail and run.

I brought my sword around, the wind pressing my shirt to my chest tightly as I flash stepped forward, the men stopping in their tracks as dust rose up from the ground in front of them. I proceeded to slice through them, sliding to the ground when one swung at my head, bringing my legs up to kick them up into the air and slice them back down, landing on another's sword, my weight sending them crashing to the ground.

I quickly cut through the remaining attackers, until there was one remaining, bringing my sword up over my head, wind and lightning beginning to spin in a circle around the tip of the blade, extending outward into a ring around the tip of the sword, thunder roaring above me. Rose petals joined the electricity and wind, freezing into red chips of metal, their crimson light flashing across my blue eyes.

"Razor Gale!" I cried, bringing my sword slicing downward, the ring of magical power spinning toward the remaining enemy, my foot coming up off of the ground elegantly as I watched my attack finish him off, my pink hair blowing in the fierce wind, as pieces of electricity danced in front of my smiling face.

I flung the blood off of the edge of my sword, Odin snorting as he protected Noctis, his hooves stomping on the ground, as time slowed down, my head turning slowly, my blue eyes glowing bright crimson. Noctis's dull steely irises locked with mine, immediately widening and throbbing as the thunder and lightning in the sky raged overhead. I was strong again.

"C-Claire…What happened to you?" I didn't answer, as I lifted my free hand, holding my thumb and index finger together, preparing to click them. Noctis's eyes widened.

"You can manipulate time? What kind of magic is this? Is that an Eidolon?" He asked, struggling to get up, as I stood there, watching him with glowing rose crimson irises, rose petals swirling in the air around me.

"I can't stop the march of time. I can't summon an Eidolon. I am not a Knight." I murmured to myself as the wind blew my hair back over my shoulders as I turned around, looking forward.

What kind of magic was this? This was the holy power I had felt when I'd had that dream, the one when I rode Odin across that meadow of roses, and ran across the sky. It was the same feeling of strength, power, and will. I was slowly becoming Odin. I was a Knight. According to those men, I was the only one left. I sighed. I guess I'd have to look into the legends again.

"If you aren't, then why are your eyes crimson like mine?" I turned around at his question, and sighed again, rolling my head.

"I don't know. I have no idea why I'm like this." I answered, walking toward him and Odin, who nodded his head, stamping his left hoof, impatient. I turned my head to him, my sword vanishing in a swirl of rose petals, the petals blowing away like dust as the sky cleared, time speeding back up again.

"Claire, something bad just happened here. You know the people that are coming after me? Now that they know you're a Knight, they'll come after you too. Your life is in danger now." Noctis continued, putting his hands on my shoulders as I climbed up onto Odin's back, holding a hand down to him.

"We've gotta go back, tell Stella about this." I pointed out, as I pulled Noctis up behind me, his face extremely close to mine. He didn't falter.

"Yes. Yes we should." I smiled, and touched my forehead to his briefly, before turning back around, Odin rearing up backwards before taking off, running down the street.

Noctis wrapped his arms around my ribcage, resting his head on my shoulder, as I steered Odin in between people, although it was useless. They couldn't see him. I knew it intuitively. The holy power, my power, it pulsed inside of my heart, concealing our presence from the non-gifted eye. They couldn't see Noctis, Odin and I only because my leaking power was cloaking our presence.

I looked down at my chest, rose red rings of power pulsing out of my chest every time my heart beat, shining until it circled the three of us in ruby luminescence, keeping us veiled from the human eyes. We were aliens, compared to them, touched by an Eidolon. Or rather I had been. I wasn't too sure about Noctis though. I closed my eyes slightly.

Back when we were smaller, I'd overheard a few conversations about the "Light". Supposedly, according to Tenebrae legend, those who could see the "Light" will be given special abilities. Could that mean that because Odin had touched me, I had those same abilities as well? I could cast spells and summon my swords and armor out of midair like Erza Scarlet because of this "Light"? I didn't understand it.

I didn't understand anything compared to my dark black haired friend, the same friend that I had such strong emotions toward. It was ironic, really. I'd often told myself that I would never fall for anyone, and yet, here I was, in love with the Prince of Crystallis. It was hopeless though, even with my new status as a Knight. I guessed I'd have to leave him to Stella then. She'd take good care of him.

"Claire, can I ask you something?" I blinked, and turned my head around, nodding once.

"Of course. What is it?" His eyes darted from side to side nervously, his black side bangs blowing into his eyes.

"What am I to you?"

I didn't take his question seriously. He had to be kidding. There was no way. There was no way on Cocoon that he actually felt something toward me. In all of the fairy tales I'd read to Serah when she was little girl, Princes fell in love with Princesses, not Knights or peasants. And I fell under one of the two classes at the very least. The classes that Princes didn't end up with. And that fact made me sad. I closed my eyes, and rolled my head, sighing.

"What brought all of this on?" I asked, opening my eyes, Noctis watching me. He slid his face a little closer.

"You could've just let them take me. But instead, you fought for me. I'm asking you why. Why didn't you let me go?" I smiled, and tilted my head to the side slightly.

"Stella told me to protect you." He turned away, his face growing somber.

"Only because Stella said so, huh?" He muttered quietly, my eyes widening. _Is he actually…Truly…Really…Acting like this…? _

"Is there something wrong with what I said?" I asked, softening my face and voice, lifting my hand slowly. Noctis's eyes turned to my hand that was slowly heading toward the side of his face.

"Please don't." He pleaded, his eyes downcast. I bit my bottom lip, my fingertips brushing up against his temple tenderly.

"Not a chance. You've helped me, healed me. Now it's my turn to help you." I replied, shaking my head. Noctis didn't even look at me, as Odin snorted, running down Main Street toward the apartment building we were staying at.

"Only because you were wounded. Only because Stella told me to." I flinched. I was right. It was something I said.

"Noctis, I protected you for a different reason. I didn't-" He lifted his eyes to mine, light shining in them once again.

"Didn't what?" I swallowed, and bit my bottom lip again, my hands trembling, including the one on the side of his face.

"I didn't want you to die. Noctis, you have to live. You have a family over where you come from, right? And judging by the news casts, things aren't going to well. So you have to stay alive, for their sake. Something serious is happening right now. I can feel it. And somehow, I know that you're in the middle of it." I answered, holding my free hand to my heart, nodding once as I looked back at him, nothing but honesty in my eyes. The corner of his mouth curled up slightly as his eyes closed.

"I have to live, huh? But what if my very existence puts you in danger?" I narrowed my eyes soundlessly.

"I've been in danger ever since I came to your country that first time those few years ago." I answered, smiling slightly. Noctis's expression turned agonized.

"So many people have gotten hurt because of me. My mother's best friend is dead because I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. With all of this blood on my hands, how can I touch you, or hold you?" I widened my eyes, surprised at his question. It seemed to come from out of nowhere.

"What do you mean, hold me?" I asked, leaning forward, my forehead gently touching his. Noctis shut his eyes.

"Forget it." He replied, turning away, shutting me out. I bit down on my bottom lip harder.

"Why Noctis? Why won't you let me in? Let me help you? Why does it have to be silence with you?" I asked, my voice beginning to break as Odin whinnied, running into the apartment building. Noctis frowned.

"It's not silence. I'm just choosing not to tell you anything, because I don't want you to get hurt. It's bad enough that I'm so close to you right now. If they find me, you'll die. In a heartbeat. It wouldn't matter if you're a Knight, or if Odin is here. You'd be dead in a matter of seconds." I lifted an eyebrow, my face turning sarcastic.

"Well that's a positive thought." I answered cynically, as Noctis blinked.

"It's true." I shook my head, smiling gently. He was wrong. Hopelessly, utterly wrong.

"I wouldn't die. Only because you'd be beside me. So long as you're alive, I will not die." I replied, Odin turning his head and watching me closely. Noctis's eyes widened, throbbed.

"You-" I smiled, and nodded my whole head once, lifting up my other hand to hold his face tenderly.

"That's right." I answered, his pained irises crying out for comfort, console. My heart rose. It wanted to go to him.

"Claire, you do realize what you're getting into, right? If you die, Serah will be-" I shut my eyes, lifting my right fist, preparing to pound him a good one.

"Idiot! I told you didn't I? So long as you're alive, I will not die." I answered fiercely, Noctis's eyes throbbing again.

"…C-Claire…" I smiled, and traced his cheeks with both hands gently, as Odin took off toward the stairs.

"What will I have to do to make you believe me, Prince?" I asked sweetly, leaning forward. He shook his head.

"Don't ask me that. You already know what I'll say." I averted my eyes, turning away. Idiot.

"I'm trying to comfort you, moron. Are you really that oblivious?" I asked hotly once Odin made it to the floor Mrs. Fleuret's apartment was on, the horse vanishing out from under us without warning.

"I'm not oblivious! I just-" He protested, stopping mid sentence. I put my hands on my hips and leaned forward, smelling weakness.

"Just what?" I asked, my lips curling up, Noctis shutting his eyes angrily and brushing past me, reaching forward with his hand to open the door.

"Just drop it, Claire. I'm not telling you anything!" He answered, as he opened the door, a flash of red lighting up above the door. My eyes widened. _Damn! _

"Noctis, look out!" I cried, jumping forward, and shoving him out of the way of the bullet that shot out of the red flash.

Noctis and I crashed to the floor, as I rolled up into a crouch, something very uncharacteristic of me, my arm held out to shield Noctis as best I can, my right arm tensely extended from the right side of my body, rose petals slowly coming into existence. I would use my powers again, if it came to that. I wouldn't let Noctis die.

"Claire? Noctis? Is that you?" I looked up toward the red flash, the ruby glow fading into an emerald green one as the door opened, Stella running forward, her blond hair swinging out behind her, Serah close on her heels. I didn't move from my defensive stance.

"Yeah, it's us. What the hell was that?" I demanded, Stella coming down to her knees beside Noctis, helping him stand up as Serah held my arm.

"It was the security system my mother installed last night, in order to protect Noctis if we ever needed to use this apartment. It was for safety reasons." I narrowed my eyes. Noctis turned to me, his face expectantly smug.

"See? I told you it was dangerous." I snorted.

"Dangerous my ass." I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest as I turned away. Stella giggled into her palm, and closed her left eye playfully at Noctis.

"Well, looks like she's warming up to you." She teased, Noctis's face shifting into an angry scowl.

"I don't want her to warm up to me. Especially since she's a Knight now." Stella's purple eyes widened.

"What? C-Claire's a Knight? But how? Why?" She asked, swinging her head toward me, her eyes locking onto the subtle crimson pulses coming from my heart, as well as the ruby luster glittering off of my eyes.

"See? She protected me from the soldiers your father sent to come after me." He answered, the wind my trembling magical power created ruffling my pink hair, Serah shaking in fear beside me. Stella watched my expression, how it didn't change.

"So you used your power too? Again? Noctis, you moron! I told you not to use your magic or they'd find you! You're just lucky Claire was able to defend you!" Noctis sighed in response, and waved his hand, walking into the apartment without a care in the world.

"I wouldn't consider myself lucky. She nearly brought chaos down upon us all. Odin even showed up." He explained, as Stella shut the door behind all of us once Serah and I walked through.

"She even called an Eidolon? Claire, how strong are you?" She asked, exasperated as she activated the security system again, her back resting up against the door. I lowered my chin slightly, my collarbone short pink hair sticking out from my head, my eyes narrowing into powdery blue crimson slits. My response was an obvious one.

"As strong as I have to be." I answered, Serah gasping as she turned and looked up at me.

"But Claire, you're in danger! How can you even hope to take on an enemy like Stella's father, alone?" She sobbed, tears falling down the sides of her face. I didn't budge, lifting my right hand up in front of me, rose petals swirling around the length of it.

"Scene Drive."

The handle of my sword brushed against my palm as I grabbed onto it, my weapon appearing in a flash of bright crimson light, the light shining off of the edge of it as pieces of crimson fire and rose petals danced past my glowing red eyes. Serah looked up at my blade, and widened her eyes.

"That's a Blaze Edge! How do you have one?" She asked, reaching out to touch it, my eyes still locked with Stella's. Her purple eyes shook.

"Claire, this is dangerous. I don't want to get you involved. My father is a horrible man who will use anything and everything to destroy whatever or whomever stands in his path. If I got you involved, Serah would be in danger. _Grave_ danger." I didn't break.

"Then give her powers too." Stella shook her head as Serah's eyes widened.

"I can't do that. I'm not the one who gives out magic will-nilly. The only reason you've gotten yours is because it has always been there, but your contact with Odin woke it up. Serah is not gifted, therefore, I cannot bestow upon her the same magic that you have." I snarled, gritting my teeth.

It was hopeless. If I got involved with whatever was happening, Serah would be in big trouble. She wouldn't be able to defend herself, and it would fall upon me to split myself up between two people. I'd have to choose which one I wanted to save the most. And I didn't think I'd be able to do it. But I had to fight. This wasn't just for Noctis. I had to protect Serah as well.

"If you can't do that, then take my magic away." I offered, Stella shaking her head.

"You see how tightly you're holding your blade? You've always wanted to be strong. You've craved that very same strength that single blade gives you. I could never take that feeling of power away from you. Besides, you won't be of any use to us if you didn't have your powers. We're going to need your help, Claire." I narrowed my eyes. I didn't like the sound of this. It made my money and house issues seem like a thing of the past.

"What do you want with me?" I demanded, holding my Blaze Edge tightly. Noctis stood up from the chair, and walked over to me, his face level with mine.

"We want you to help my parents. We want you to help overthrow the King of Tenebrae." My rises shook, my breath catching.

Over throw Stella's father? What the heck were they thinking? How would I be able to help them overthrow a man that horrible? I'd heard stories of his terrible crimes, his acts of genocide, the way he ran his country. All of the things that a dictator would do. What could I do? As a filthy peasant compared to the King of Tenebrae. I closed my eyes.

No. I was wrong. I wasn't a peasant anymore. I was no longer the suffering girl I once had been before Noctis had come to live in Cocoon. All of it made sense now. He'd come not just to be safe, but to find me, and to enlist me to help him. And because of that, I was no longer Claire Farron, the girl that every boy wanted to make a pass at. I was Claire Farron, the Knight of Cocoon. My eyes opened.

"Yes. I'll help you, Prince Noctis." I answered, his steel blue irises flashing once, before glowing lightly. Stella stepped up and put her hand on my shoulder, her celeste eyes soft.

"Thank you, Lady Claire. We're grateful." I dipped my head. Serah watching with wide eyes. I didn't understand it either. It was like my body was moving on its own.

"I won't let you down, Stella." I answered, Stella's eyes narrowing slightly.

"Did I forget to tell you about me? Or did you not put it together?" I widened my eyes, surprised as my sword vanished, my eyes turning back to plain blue, human again.

"Y-You're a Princess?" She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest, and smiling.

"Yep. See, you knew. You just didn't want to believe it. Your face is priceless, by the way." I sighed and face palmed at her comment.

"Ugh." Noctis laughed slightly, and lifted my head up to be level with his with his hand gently.

"Don't worry. It'll be alright. You've got Stella and me." Serah shook, hiding behind me, her eyes wider than saucers.

"Claire's going to fight your father, the King of Tenebrae?" Serah asked, her question directed at Stella, who turned and knelt down in front of Serah, smiling gently.

"Yeah. Are you scared for her?" She asked simply, Serah nodding and hugging me as tightly as she could.

"I don't want Claire to die! I don't want her to leave me!" Serah sobbed, her eyes shut tightly, as tears flowed down the sides of her face. Stella put her hand on Serah's head gently.

"Look at me." She commanded gently, Serah obeying without hesitation, blinking tears to the floor. Stella's face softened.

"Serah, Claire will not leave you. She's going to come back. Noctis and I won't let her die. I promise you." Noctis nodded to Serah when she turned to him, his steel blue eyes hard and determined.

"It's true. She won't die. I won't let her." I rested my hands on Serah's, and smiled down at her.

"Don't worry about me. You just have to keep yourself safe, alright? Stick with Snow at all times." I added, Serah nodding as she buried her face into my back. I sighed, and turned back to Noctis and Stella, who faced me evenly.

"Are you sure?" Noctis asked, our eyes locked. I nodded without hesitation.

"Yes."

* * *

"Claire is the Knight King Caelum spoke of? That's interesting." Mrs. Fleuret pointed out, waving her hand as she reclined on the couch next to Stella. I bit my bottom lip, Noctis shifting next to me.

It had only been about an hour since Noctis and I had arrived back here from our failed mall trip. About an hour since I'd become a Knight officially. Apparently the only one in existence to be exact. That made me nervous. The whole thing made me nervous. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to help out Noctis and Stella now, even with this borrowed strength.

I still had to worry about the bills, the house, my sister. My life was on the line here. If I died, Serah would be all alone; she'd have to take care of the house all on her own, and somehow manage to pay all of the bills even though she isn't employed. She wouldn't be able to support herself, let alone get enough money to keep herself together financially. She'd be turned into the Sanctum in no time at all.

But then there was the whole Princess and Prince issue. Where did Knights fit into that? Was I supposed to protect both of them at the same time? Or was I supposed to focus on one of them only? It was too much. It was too much to handle all in one night. I couldn't take it in. I was going to die if I wasn't perfect, on top of my game, and ready to fight and shed blood.

I didn't think I'd have the heart to kill anyone, even if they were trying to kill me. I wasn't strong enough for that. I wasn't ready to hurt anyone, let alone take a life. I wouldn't be able to deal the final blow, even though they'd be trying to drag me to the depths of hell, only because I had allied myself with the Caelums instead of the Fleurets.

And what was up with Stella and her mother betraying their own family? That was Stella's father they'd asked me to help kill. Why would she want to destroy or murder her own father? I knew he was a horrible man and everything, but was that reason enough to take his life? Did that justify sending him to the Goddess Etro for divine punishment? Was that really a valid enough reason to wipe him from this world?

I looked away from Mrs. Fleuret's curious purple eyes, keeping my face averted so that she didn't see my fear and hesitation glowing in the gentle luster within my glistening irises, trepidation so obvious that even Serah could see it. And she wasn't good with reading emotions. I felt Noctis turn toward me, his steel blue eyes resting on the left side of my face, the shadow that had fallen over it.

"Claire, are you alright?" He asked softly, Stella and her mother turning to me, as Serah slept on the chaise beside Noctis and I's.

"I'm fine. Don't worry." I answered just as quietly, my hands curled in on my knees. Noctis's eyes widened slightly.

"No you aren't. You're terrified. You're trembling." I smiled weakly. He knew me so well. Oh so well.

"Don't worry about me." I replied, getting up from the chair, and turning from the three people watching me without another word.

"Wait!" Noctis called, as I began walking toward the balcony, the sounds of rustling letting me know that he was getting ready to follow me. I stopped, and turned my head slightly, looking back at him from over my shoulder.

"Don't shut me out, Claire. I want to help you. Tell me what you're so afraid of. Is it dying? Leaving Serah to live on her own? The possibility of having to kill another person? If so, then I'm scared too. I'm just as terrified as you are. You and I have heard the same stories about the King of Tenebrae, so I share your fear, your pain. But you can't let fear stop you. It'll only cripple you and that power you have." I widened my eyes, and caught my breath. Damn him.

"I'm not afraid. I can't-" I started, slowly turning around, Noctis taking a step toward me.

"It's not a question of can or can't. There are some things in life that you just do." He replied simply, taking another step.

"I don't want to fight. I don't want to kill others. I don't want to hurt anyone." I answered, as Noctis lifted his hands to my face.

"It'll be alright, Claire. I told you already. I won't let you die." I shook my head, tears sliding out from under my eyelashes despite my will to hold them back. Noctis's face softened.

"I can't make you have to protect me. You have a lot to worry about already." I answered, lifting my tear streaked face to his. His eyes shook.

"I don't have a lot to worry about, except you. I can't have you breaking down in front of me like this." He replied, managing a brief, weak smile. My tears spilled down my cheeks, falling to the floor.

"I don't want you to worry about me. Just worry about yourself, alright? I'm perfectly capable of handling myself." I whispered, lifting my hands up to hold his wrists gently. He blinked once.

"You don't have to lie to me in order to be strong Claire. I know you're scared. But you don't have to be. I won't let them touch you." He responded, his steel blue eyes strong. I let my mouth fall open slightly.

I knew his words were supposed to bring me comfort, security, and soothe me. But they weren't rendering me peacefulness now. They were hollow to me, twisted in some way. Noctis was afraid too. He'd just told me. His voice held his fear close, as it drifted across my mind, bitter in contrast to the soft and gentle sweetness it usually carried. That made my fear all the more potent, staggering. I was terrified.

"Let them touch me? You won't be anywhere near the fighting zone. Knights are supposed to-" He put two fingers on my lips to stop me.

"Don't give me that crap. Those are fairy tales. Knights aren't shields." He retorted, shaking his head slightly. I blinked more tears away, their amorphous forms merging with the twin lines that flowed down the sides of my face, as I smiled faintly under his fingers.

"Knights are built for battle. Princes are supposed to sit on the sidelines and stay off the battlefield." I shot back, my tears continuing to fall. Noctis's face softened again.

"But that doesn't mean I'll let you fight alone. I won't let you die." I shook my head again, and pressed my hands into his chest, my forehead coming down on his collarbone.

"Just stop. Just stop already. Nothing you say is going to help me feel any better." I replied, shaking my head, and pulling away, brushing past him.

He turned his head slowly, watching me out of throbbing eyes. His touch hadn't healed me. His voice hadn't calmed me. His hold hadn't soothed me. I was too far gone, once again beyond his reach. But this was something I had to figure out on my own. I had to come to the decision of my own free will. I wanted to find the answer for myself. And judging by how he didn't follow me, he respected and knew that.

"Claire, I-" Stella got up from the couch, starting to run toward me, but Noctis held his arm out as I pulled open the door to the balcony.

"This is something she needs to do on her own, Stella." Noctis murmured, Stella turning to him, saddened.

"But Noctis-" He shook his head.

"She'll be fine. Just give her some space, alright?" He answered gently, as I shut the door behind me, walking into the warm night wind.

The night sky, the night sky so full of stars shone down on me, glittered over my head as I rested my hands on the stone railing of the balcony overlooking the city of Palumpolum, watching the lights of vehicles and stores blink in and out, as people moved to get to their homes, fearing the darkness that fell over them. I sighed as my pink hair bumped up against the sides of my face.

It was so peaceful out here, nothing like the tense and heavy atmosphere inside the apartment that I had dismissed myself from. It had been so hard to face him, even when he'd told me he wouldn't let me die, that he'd make sure I lived. But how could I protect him if he was protecting me at the same time? It was all too much to take in all at once. Magical powers, killing the King of Tenebrae. I couldn't focus and fully grasp it all at once.

I still had Serah I had to worry about. If I died, she'd be alone, and I was the only one she had left. If I vanished from this world, she'd be heartbroken. I wouldn't want to put her, my own sister through that. But I couldn't just turn my friends' call for help down solely because of Serah. The King of Tenebrae had done awful things to my family as well, although indirectly. I had a grudge.

Nonetheless, King Caelum was a good friend of my late father. I had to do it, because my father would've helped him without any hesitation if he were in my position. Plus, Noctis was a good friend of mine, a close friend. Not only that, but Stella and her mother were close friends of mine as well. If I had to do this for anyone, it would be them, the four of them.

I opened my eyes. That was that then. I would go out and help them fight and kill the King of Tenebrae when they needed me to. I would put my life on the line to keep my friends and family safe, because that was the noble and right thing to do. I couldn't let doubt swallow me. I had to stay strong. I was a Knight now, after all. Odin had given me a reason to live and struggle. I had to stand by it.

"It's not a question of can or can't. There are some things in life that you just do."

I smiled. He always knew the right thing to say at the right time. He was absolutely right, as always. I couldn't let doubt cripple me. I had to believe in myself, this borrowed strength, my will to live. I had to believe that I could do anything and everything to defend those closest to me. That was something I just had to do. I lifted my hands to the sides of my face, and propped my jaw on them, smiling into the night sky, looking back at the slightly ajar door out of the corner of my eye.

"You know, I'm starting to agree with you. I think…I do need you around. That's kind of ironic. Wouldn't you agree…Noctis…?" A chuckle echoed that, only it wasn't from Noctis, or anyone I knew. Hands came around my neck, holding it loosely, my chin lifting upwards out of surprise.

"You're so blind, Farron. You didn't even see me come up behind you like that. Although…I suppose I like you better that way, especially since if we went head to head, you'd mop the floor out of me." My eyes flashed, as I turned my head just enough to be able to see my captor.

"Cid Raines…What the _hell_ do you want with me?" I demanded, keeping my voice cool and collected. He shrugged.

"I just want to scope out your powers, since the Boss wants no one to stand in his way of destroying that rock of a planet." I widened my eyes. _No way! Cid is-?_

"You-" I snarled as I struggled, trying to get away. He gripped harder. Just a little tighter.

"Nuh-uh-uh. You wouldn't want me to snap your neck now would you?" I gritted my teeth and snarled again. He got me.

"You wretch. Why are you doing this?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. Cid leaned his head over my shoulder, his cheek brushing up against mine.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm playing with you." I jerked my head toward the balcony door, a smug smirk curling my lip up.

"It's only a matter of time before the others hear you out here, Raines." He shook his head, sighing as if he were bored.

"I put up a force field on the door. They won't be coming out anytime soon, so it's just you and me, Knight." He answered, pulling backwards, and walking down to the other side of the balcony. I coughed at least once, and faced him, my eyes narrowed.

"You can use magic as well?" I asked calmly, the wind ruffling my hair. He smiled darkly, nodding once.

"Of course. Although mine isn't nearly as powerful as yours." He answered, my lip curling up briefly.

"Then why are you challenging me?" I replied, tilting my head to the side slightly. He sighed.

"I want to scope out your power." He repeated, bored. I lifted my right hand, smirking.

"If that's all you want, then I'd be more than happy to be of service, Raines." I retorted, rose petals swirling down the length of my arm, crimson light flashing across my eyes, my heart pulsing with the holy power. Cid laughed, and pulled out a sword from under his cape, which, by the looks of it, was a Blaze Edge.

"It's been so long since I've fought you one on one, Farron." I nodded once, my smile weak.

"Should I be happy or sad about that?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow. He smirked.

"Why don't you just enjoy it." I narrowed my eyes, and nodded once, the handle of my Blaze Edge brushing across my palm as I gripped it, pulling my sword across the air to my side.

"It's not going to be a walk in the park, like the old days." I answered strongly, Cid leaning forward as he nodded in anticipation.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." He replied, flash stepping toward me as I did the same, the world around me blurring. So it began.


	9. Heart In My Hand

**Author's Note**: Okay, due to the lack of time to write a decent description, I'm just gonna say thank god this piece of shiz is done. It took me forever just to finish it. I ended up having to take it to school and type up some of it during Study Hall (82 minutes of pure Lightis action). I know it looks like it's about to lead to a lemon, but don't be fooled. I don't write lemons. Sorry peeps.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII, or Final Fantasy Versus XIII. I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this chapter either. I do not own anything. I do not own anything at all. I do not own all of the references that I made either.

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Our swords clashed again. Over and over. Unbending as our wills. Neither of us was going to surrender tonight. It was in our blood, the same blood that spilled out onto the floor of the balcony we were fighting on. The very same one that was shaking uncontrollably from the impact of our dodged and evaded strikes. But it didn't matter. It didn't matter at all. Because I was going to win.

Whenever Cid swung left, I'd dodge right. Whenever I swung right, he'd dodge left. It was a never ending cycle, this battle. This battle between a Knight and a Soldier. We were both disciples of the same master. Or had been, to be exact. We'd sparred many times already, but nothing like this. We were trying to kill each other this time. Or at least I was.

He could feel it in the way I danced away from his blade, and quickly countered with my own. He couldn't stop me. He wouldn't stop me. I was powerful, wasn't I? He'd even said it himself. If the two of us went head to head, I would mop the floor with him. That had to count for something right? I lunged forward, vanishing in the blink of an eye as I flash stepped up onto his arm, crouching in the fierce wind our battle had created.

He turned his head toward me, lowering his arm, swinging his blade in my direction, off balance. I spun my body, tensing my right leg and flashed my foot out, kicking him toward the stone wall with a sharp jab in the face. I landed on the ground in a crouch as Cid slammed into the wall, my pink hair gathering at my shoulders, my eyes narrowed. It's true I was good, but I couldn't get overconfident. He was good too.

"You haven't changed at all, Claire. You still fight with your body as well as your weapon. That's going to get you killed someday." He mocked, wiping the blood from his mouth.

I stood up straighter, as he ran toward me, our swords clashing again, but this time, mine shoved his off with hardly any effort, as I lifted it up above my head, the familiar crackling noise of lightning and rose petaled wind screeching around the tip of my blade. Cid staggered backwards, watching me with wide eyes, as I leaned forward, taking a deep breath.

"Razor Gale!" I swung my sword downward, my foot lifting up off of the ground, as the ring of magic flew toward Cid, pieces of pinkish crimson magic flying past my blue eyes. Then, he vanished.

"What the-?" I looked around, gripping my sword tightly, as purple globs of magic bobbed through the air toward me, bubble-like in both shape and appearance. But as for Cid, nowhere to be found.

"Ha! Is that how a fellow disciple of Master Amodar should react to an enemy you cannot see or hear? C'mon Claire! You and I trained long and hard for this! What were you supposed to do at this very moment…?" My eyes flashed open. _Above! _

I swung my sword upward, Cid grabbing onto it with his hand and sliding down it like it was a pole, slamming his boot into my face on his way down, landing on my outstretched arm as I flew backward toward the ground. He shook his head as I slid to a stop, nothing more than a heap on the floor of the balcony, Cid pacing the width of it as he smirked.

"You truly are pathetic, Farron. If you swing above, you're leaving yourself wide open for a counterattack. How could you forget that?" I shakily stood up, a shadow falling over my face, blood trickling down from the corner of my mouth as I smirked.

"You know…" I started, Cid lifting his eyebrows expectantly. Noctis's soft, gentle smile flashed in front of my eyes. _It's not a question of can or can't. There are some things in life that you just do. _I know, Noctis. I know.

"What is it, Claire?" He demanded, putting his hand on his hip impatiently, swinging his blade up onto his shoulder, tapping his toe. I lifted my face, smiling.

"You talk too much." I answered, standing up straighter, my lip curling up briefly as I wiped the blood from the side of my mouth indignantly.

"Well, since I talk so much, are you ready now, Miss Farron?" I nodded once, the wind ruffling my bangs.

"With pleasure, Mister Raines." I answered, holding my Blaze Edge level in my right hand, as he flash stepped toward me, my grip on my sword tightening. He was getting over confident.

I grabbed onto my Blaze Edge with my left hand, pink power pulsing up and down the blade before flashing out, lightning crackling around the sword, rose petals shimmering through the lightning bolts as I started running toward him, his guard lifted as well, purple blobs of darkness bobbing and weaving through the air around him, as my own shards of pink magic gathered in the wind my lightning was creating.

Our eyes met as we headed closer to each other, our eyes narrowed, as we ran faster and faster, our blades glowing with the strength of our charged up attacks, our magic shoving against each other as our powers collided in the bleeding sky above us. I pulled my blade back, my blue eyes wild with crimson firelight, Cid's hazel irises carrying nothing but darkness and bloodlust. He was nothing but a monster now. And for that, he needed to be stopped.

"DARKNESS SURGE!"

"LIGHTNING STRIKE!"

Our powers merged. Our magic slammed together. Our hearts collided. Only to send us flying apart. I rolled back across the ground, lifting my head as my hands and feet slid over the balcony floor, my head jerking upwards to glare at the man I had once fought alongside, the man I had once loved. Only the darkness known as King Fleuret was bringing us back together. In such a bitter and cruel way.

I couldn't believe how deadly this battle had become, how much of our feelings were nothing but bloodlust and rage. We weren't fighting as equals or students anymore. We were fighting as enemies. Enemies hell-bent on completely eliminating the other one. It was a crazy and vicious cycle that we'd been looped into. We weren't Cid Raines and Claire Farron anymore. We were Dragon and Knight. It was scary to think of it like that, but, it was true.

Our swords clashed again, and I lifted my arms up over my head, crimson-pink power sliding up along my body, swirling together with the lightning that crackled around my sword blade, the wind circling the sword angrily, as I charged up a final Razor Gale. I sliced it downwards, my eyes widening as he merely flicked it away with his index finger, and flash stepped to my right side, his movements faster than the eye could blink.

"I win." Blood spilled into the air in front of me, in front of my eyes, my crimson eyes. But whose blood was it?

"Urk…" I dropped to the ground, holding my right arm, the ruby liquid threading through my fingers as I coughed, the pain flowing through me. A flash of metal.

"Hm. Not enough." Blood flew through the air again, this time, coming from my stomach. I coughed one last time, and fell flat on my face, my arms swiveling at my sides as my nose crashed into the ground.

"Well, that was quick, if not a bit dull. You can't fight as well as the boss says. Or predicts. I knew I shouldn't have bothered." He mocked, turning and walking away.

I could feel my life slipping through my fingers, as quickly as the blood that flowed out of my wounds, my vision blurring in and out. I couldn't see. I couldn't hear. I couldn't speak. He'd hit me in one of my vital spots. One of the vital spots I needed in order to live. I went limp on the ground with a sigh. He'd, by all means, defeated me. Cid laughed maliciously.

"So, what, are you gonna give up now? Where's that spitfire look I always loved to see whenever your back was against the wall? Get up, weakling!" I screwed my eyes shut tightly, the pain unbearable.

"I guess you don't care about your friends' lives…" My heart tightened. He had to be kidding. How dirty was he going to play?

I slowly but surely gathered my legs and feet under me, and balanced myself precariously on my arms, blood dripping to the floor. But I couldn't give up yet. I had to keep fighting. I wasn't just going to waste the life that Noctis saved. His peaceful face drifted across my mind again, this time slightly troubled. Only, I knew why.

I grabbed my Blaze Edge in my right hand tightly as I got up on one knee, shakily pushing myself up to stand up on both of my throbbing ankles, my head lowered as I gasped for air, the flow of blood slowing down, allowing me to take a few breaths of air without feeling woozy and or dizzy. I wasn't going to be able to fight much longer, that was for sure.

Nevertheless, I swung the blood off of my blade with one, smooth, painful flick of my wrist as I shifted on weary feet. Cid turned back to me, and smiled, nodding with approval. I narrowed my eyes. That bastard. He deliberately wanted me to get up so that he could pound me some more. What a jerk. I bit my bottom lip. He wasn't Cid Raines anymore.

I let my power run wild, a pink pillar of wind and crimson rose petals streaming upward from the ground, as I lifted my face up to the burning sky, lightning slicing through it over and over again, cutting it half a thousand times over. Cid's eyebrow lifted. He wasn't surprised. Just interested. He wanted to see the full extent of my power, myself included, but I didn't want to fully let go until I knew more about my strength.

"So, Claire. You aren't giving up, huh?" I shook my head, my hair rolling on itself in the fading wind, shards of my magic weaving themselves into the strands.

"Why would I even think about letting you win so easily?" I replied, lightning crackling around my blade again, my wrist twitching. One last Razor Gale. He flicked his fingers.

"You're getting over confident, Claire." I smirked, lifting my arms up over my head, and narrowing my eyes as my lip curled up.

The screeching of wind and lightning prompted me to slice my arms downward, my leg lifting up elegantly as the circle of magical power flew toward Cid, his darkness enshrouded Blaze Edge level in his hand as he fended it off with hardly any effort. My lip curled up as blood trickled down the side of it. This was what I wanted. I flash stepped toward him, my blade crackling with left over lightning.

"Storm Blade!" I cried, slamming my Blaze Edge into his, the darkness colliding and shoving against my pure magical power, Cid's eyes unchanging.

"You'll never touch me with that." My eyes flashed down to my left hand, pink lightning sizzling around my left shoulder at my half thought, as I pulled it backwards, my eyes wild, rearing backwards.

"Scene Drive!" My fist slammed into his nose, as I followed through, my hand untouched by the darkness, my fist shoving him down toward the ground, his eyes wide at my recklessness.

"You-You little wench!" He snarled as I shoved him all the way down to the ground with my one fist alone, my right hand jabbing my Blaze Edge into his shoulder as well as twirling his around my fingers, holding it still over his right shoulder.

"Don't you-" I smirked, and jabbed his Blaze Edge into his left shoulder, pinning him down as I slammed my knees to the ground alongside him.

"Claire, wait-" I held both of my hands together as I lifted them up into the air, my feet pushing off from the ground, no sign of remorse in my eyes.

"TAKE THIS!" I cried as I slammed them down into his stomach, in the same place mine was cut.

All of the air in his body flew out through his agonized lips, my right hand slowly lifting upward from his crushed stomach, as I narrowed my eyes, lifting my head slightly. Final blow. I gritted my teeth, my power flowing into my fists as my knees hit the floor, my fists flying backwards as I took a deep breath. This would end it. I was positive of that.

I flung my fists forward into a barrage of punches, crosses, anything I could do to hurt him with only my hands. I slammed his face up and down, blood shooting out of his mouth and nose as I pounded all of my hate and anger into his severely damaged face, the sounds of bones cracking holding no appeal to me. I wasn't going to stop yet. My arms screeched in protest as my muscles reached their limit with the amount of blood I had left about thirty seconds later, and I withdrew from beating him, panting.

"Well? Are you done yet? Raines?" I wheezed, my lips chapped with dried blood as I inhaled and exhaled laboriously. His hazel eyes opened, and he laughed.

"Impressive, Knight. I didn't expect you to come at me without your sword. You're truly an interesting warrior, although not very smart." My eyes widened, as the ground underneath us began to shake, dots of bright purple lights circling the ground where we were conversing, honing in on my legs.

"What the-?" I exclaimed, lifting my right foot up to dodge, but the shimmering lights collided together to fire a giant pillar of darkness out of the ground, right at my leg.

"Take this and die, Knight!" I flashed my eyes toward Cid, his hazel eyes wild with hatred and cunning.

He'd acted like he was critically wounded to lure me in, all for this final moment. The moment when he'd win. I'd known beforehand that he wasn't going to be an easy foe to get rid of, but this was crazy. The darkness was beating on my leg, and yet, I didn't feel a thing as I bounced along the ground on my back, rolling up into a lopsided crouch several feet away. This didn't make any sense.

I lifted my dirtied face up to Cid as he calmly, but coolly dusted himself off, flicking the blood off his shoulder like it was nothing. My eyes widened. I hadn't even dented him. He was still unscathed. Other than the blood that trickled down from the corner of his mouth from my bone shattering magic enhanced punch, he was altogether unhurt. I gritted my teeth, looking down at my leg, violet smoke snaking up into the air from it like the aftermath of a black magic spell in all of those fairy tales.

"I'll bet that you're asking yourself how I'm still able to stand." I jerked my head up, my eyes throbbing.

"How did you-?" He smiled in response.

"You were always the open book, my dear Claire. I can read you as easily now as I could back then. Back when we were friends." He enunciated the last word longingly, his tall and proud form vanishing from my sight in the blink of an eye, his fingers pulling a lock of hair away from my ear as he flash stepped to my position. "I'll be honest with you. You're a lot better off with someone like me, on my side then you are with those Caelum fools."

"Is that what this is about? Are you trying to recruit me? Keep playing your little mind games, and see where it gets you!" I retorted, tossing my head as I narrowed my eyes, glaring at him from over my shoulder, balling my right hand up. "It'll never work!"

"Oh, you think so? I have more power over you then you could ever imagine. So much, in fact, that I could kill you right now." His voice swirled over my temples as his lips moved against it. I couldn't help but shiver, which disgusted me. "I hold your heart in my hands, Claire."

"Not anymore." I replied, not skipping a beat. "I took it back from you a long time ago."

"Are you sure? Let's test that theory." He replied smoothly, running his hand across my back.

A hand. A hand jabbed itself into my chest, my lips parting in a surprised gasp, my arms falling away from my sides, my eyes wide. But there was no blood. No torn flesh, no broken tissue. But the pain was still there. I dropped my head forward and coughed, clear liquid flying out of my mouth as Cid's lips curled up against my temple.

"You see? Your heart is the source of your magical power, is it not?" I coughed again, blood flying out of my mouth, a little late to the show if you'd ask me. "Isn't it wonderful? The source of all of your strength is the weak little thing you've kept so heavily guarded. And yet, I'm holding it in my hand. I wonder what would happen if I ripped it out of your chest."

"You won't accomplish anything by doing that." I replied through the pain, my teeth gritted, blood threading down to my chin from the corner of my mouth. "He will come. You can stake your life on that."

"Well, all I see is you dead on the floor in the next minute. Care to change that? Want to rebel against your fate, Claire Farron?" He paused, burying his face into my hair. "Or, I could spare your life on one condition."

"And what might that be, Raines?" I answered, grabbing my sword in my right hand tightly. "I'm listening." His smirk turned sinister.

"Kill Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, and bring his corpse to me." I widened my eyes, my heart throbbing in Cid's hand. "You must kill him."

"You fiend!" I cried, bringing my sword around, taking a slice at Cid's neck as I turned my body around at the same time, my sudden movement wrenching his hand out of my chest, magical power leaking out of the hole in my back. "I would never kill him!"

"Hm. I see. So you choose to resist. That's fine." He drew his Blaze Edge, as I held my arms across my body to my left, closing my eyes. "I'll finish this quick."

"I'm gonna win!" I shot forward, despite the pain flowing through my veins, pulling my sword backward in my right hand, lightning crackling around it, shattering the rose petals that materialized along the sparking blade. My chest burned with pain, as bolts of magical power boiled inside.

"We'll see about that, Claire-What?" I curled my lip up, the lightning around my blade crackling around the two of us as we collided. "You dumbass! Do you realize what you've done? You're going to die!"

"You're forgetting one thing, Cid. I cannot die. I am the Knight." Half of the lightning that was crackling inside me, doing more harm than good, gathered around my left hand, the other half taking form of bolts of magical power shooting from my left shoulder, strength surging into my fist. "I'M GONNA PUNCH A HOLE IN THAT POWER OF YOURS!"

"LET'S SEE YOU TRY!" He lifted a shield of darkness, as I flung my fist forward, our magic colliding once more, the shockwave shaking the very air around us, tearing the sky apart with pink and purple light.

"I'm gonna blow you out of the water." I leaned backwards, bringing my foot up to kick him square in the jaw, his teeth coming down on his tongue with a sickening splat. I rolled over onto my hands and feet, looking up at him as he flew up into the air, blood flying down toward the ground.

"DAMN YOU!" He screeched in pain, as I pushed off, holding my hands above his stomach in the blink of an eye, my chest rising upwards as I took in a deep breath, clamping my hands together tightly.

"Goodbye…Cid Raines…" I murmured, blinking my regret and remorse away in the span of half a second, before getting into battle mode again.

"At this close range, you'll not only destroy me, but yourself along with me! Are you a fool?" Bolts of magical power shot out of both of my shoulders in response to his question.

"SCENE DRIVE!" I slammed them down on his gut, blood flying out of his mouth, as I flipped forward, crimson magical power gathering around my right foot as I held it out straight. "FAREWELL!"

At the instant my foot made contact with his chest, his vulnerable diaphragm, the sound of ribs cracking and breaking echoed in my ears as I followed through, sending him flying to the ground as I somersaulted to the balcony. I landed neatly in a crouch a few feet away, wiping the dust from my mouth as I smirked. The wind blew my pink bangs across my eyes, the bolts of my magical power crackling from my shoulders, chirping like the lightning that raged in the shattered sky above us. My Blaze Edge materialized in my right hand as I held it out, rose petals swirling around me.

"You're…Pretty…Good…" I skipped widening my eyes. It wasn't worth it, because this wasn't a surprise.

"I am honored, Cid Raines. Now are you done here?" I replied, bored. He stood up shakily, bleeding from his broken chest, blood pouring out of his wound.

"I'm retreating for now. But next time we meet, you will die. That's final." I narrowed my blazing eyes, gripping my Blaze Edge in my hand tightly.

"You listen to me." I started, lowering my head, Cid's eyes widening. "I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU! YOU CAN SLICE MY LIMBS OFF! YOU CAN INTOXICATE ME SO THAT I CAN'T MOVE, AND I'LL STILL BEAT YOU! NO MATTER WHAT YOU PULL! I'M GOING TO DRAG YOU TO THE EDGE OF DEATH AND MAKE YOU REGRET EVEN _THINKING_ ABOUT TOUCHING NOCTIS! IS THAT CLEAR?"

"Go to hell, bitch." My eyes widened as blobs of darkness shot toward me, his final attack. I narrowly dodged them, earning myself a scratch and deep cut on my left thigh and calf. "Until next time, Claire Farron."

It wasn't until after five minutes of coughing up blood and crawling across the balcony that I made it to the door, managing to lift myself to my feet, and pull the door open. Noctis was the first to turn and notice me, of course, as I staggered into the room, hobbling through the dining area.

"Claire, are you alright?" He was across the room in an instant, Stella rousing Serah and her mother.

"I'm fine…" I replied, holding my stomach, my Blaze Edge fading away from my right hand, rose petals shattering into tiny pink fragments as the bolts along my shoulders crackled out of existence. Noctis looked me over, taking a step closer. My foot slipped.

"Claire are you-CLAIRE!" My face fell against his chest, his arms wrapping around me in an instant as he looked down at me, his eyes wide in alarm and surprise. My knees began to give out from under me, my hands falling away from my sides as he held me up, resting my head on his shoulder. "Stella! Get the first aid! She's gravely wounded!"

* * *

"Claire, are you alright in there?" Stella called from outside the sliding shower door, my pink hair flowing down in between my shoulder blades as the water ran through it, carrying soapy shampoo away along with it. "You've been in the shower for a good hour or so! Noctis and Serah are worried about you!"

"I'm almost done, just give me ten more minutes!" I shouted back, turning to the door of the marbled bathroom, my voice tinged with annoyance.

I turned to the faucet, letting the lukewarm cold water run down my entire front side, dropping my head to rinse out the soap from the crown of my head. It had been about an hour since I'd brushed with Cid Raines. The results of which, were hindering me now. The cold water felt amazing against my broken and seared flesh, the pain all but unbearable. My powder blue eyes closed, Cid Raines's last words to me drifting across my mind hauntingly.

"You're…Pretty…Good…I'm retreating for now. But next time we meet, you will die. That's final."

I couldn't help but feel a bit afraid. I'd fought him off this time, but at what cost? My magical power had recovered much quicker than I had anticipated, but the consequences of fighting that hard had brutally punished me. I couldn't walk very well. Every time I shifted on my feet, I would stagger in the same direction, tottering on my toes until I regained balance. It was frustrating, but thankfully, Serah had taken to helping me stay on my feet, tears flowing down the sides of her face while she did so.

The other consequence, was the pain in my chest. As my magical power recovered, the pain of releasing so much in such a short time was killing my shoulders. The bolts of raw strength that had shot out of my shoulders when I'd released them had burned through the membrane that kept my magical power restrained and locked inside my body. Only a certain amount was allowed through at one time, but by channeling power through _both_ shoulders, I'd broken the barrier completely. The pain was coming from the strain of the cells knitting back together in an effort to create the barrier once more.

I turned around, looking back at my aching right shoulder blade. It was red, blotchy, sparkles trailing along the skin as the pieces of the reformed barrier shifted underneath the surface of my skin. My eyes flashed to my right hand, then my left, the same redness pulsing from the muscles and blood vessels there, my entire body hurting as a result. I sighed. I had to learn how to control my power better. I'd acted upon my emotions and pushed myself to the limit. At this rate, I wasn't going to be able to protect the others from whatever dangers came at them. I was the shield, the one forced to fulfill the duty of putting my neck out for the others. If I was in pain or injured, that would hurt the overall success rate of this mission. I wasn't about to let myself become the weakest link.

"Claire, seriously! I have to wrap you up in that medical gauze my mother made. Are you done yet?" I rolled my eyes, and shut off the faucet, sliding the glass door open, and grabbing my towel.

"I'm done. Just another minute or two." I answered, stepping out and reaching for the clothes she'd left for me, giving them a skeptical glance. What kind of crack was she on?

Nevertheless, I got dressed, in that ridiculous excuse of sleep wear, sliding on my undergarments afterwards with a slight pinch of embarrassment as I watched myself in the mirror. God, I was hideous. A knock tapped on the door, and I reached over with my right hand, latching onto the door knob, when a staggering pain shot up and down my arm.

"AAAGGHHHHHHH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, grabbing onto my wrist tightly as my hand throbbed with bolts of pain and struggling magical power. Stella slammed herself into the door seconds later, the block of wood coming off its hinges as I dropped to the floor, holding my hand to my chest.

"Claire, are you okay?" Stella asked, holding the door off of my back, sparks of power crackling along my shoulders. "Claire…"

"I'm fine! I can handle this! Just wrap up my wounds, okay?" I answered through gritted teeth, reluctant to uncurl myself from my hunched position on my knees. Footsteps pounded up the stairs, both light and heavy.

"Claire!" Serah was around the corner first, Noctis close behind, as I writhed and jerked around in agony.

"She's…" Stella started, her hands flying off of my shoulders as my power stung her. "She's…"

"I'm fine you guys…Just relax…" I snarled, slowly letting go of my throbbing hand. Stella hesitated beside my shoulders, before proceeding to pull my top off, Noctis shielding Serah's eyes from the wounds planted firmly into my torso, his eyes glued to my chest, my bloody chest.

"Noctis, could you take Serah out of here? At least until I'm done?" Stella asked, as Serah struggled. Noctis nodded cleanly, and threw Serah up over his shoulder, and walked out of the room after giving me a quick back glance.

"Claire…" I jerked my head up, panting hard, my left eye closed.

"Just get going…I'll…Talk to you…Later…" I replied through pants, falling onto my palms as I answered, my eyes closing. I couldn't keep going like this. Thankfully, Stella realized this and picked up the pace.

"Sorry that I'm taking so long, Claire. But what happened to you out there?" I cringed at the pain in my rib cage, my shoulder burning again.

"I fought Cid." I answered simply, as she finished wrapping my chest and torso up. Her eyes widened as she looked up at me.

"Claire…" I smiled, and waved it off.

"It's nothing. I just got caught off guard a few times. That's all." I replied, my voice going quiet, as I thought of the threat, and the result of my resistance. Stella's eyes softened.

"I'm sorry." She replied, her voice soft. I poked her forehead, and laughed awkwardly.

"It's okay. Anyway, could you help me? I've gotta blow dry my hair." I asked, starting to stand. She smirked, and nodded.

"Of course." She answered, pulling out the blow dryer.

During the entire time we were standing there in the bathroom, we talked about all sorts of things, like boys. And Serah. And boys. Well, basically, we talked about boys. She managed to coax it out of me, my feelings for Noctis. And to my surprise, she'd been crushing on him for a long time as well. I then told her that I would back off, but she protested, and told me to keep going.

I didn't understand that. If she had a crush on him, surely she'd want me to back off and let her have him all to herself. But apparently Stella wasn't like that. Apparently Stella wasn't like that at all. So, about an hour later, Stella and I parted ways in the hallway, as I tiptoed down the stairs to check up on my sister. I found her, curled up on the couch in a tight shivering ball. I fumbled around for a blanket and pulled it over her, kissing her forehead tenderly.

I took a few steps away from my sleeping sister, Stella's mother's still form on the chair, curled up against her pillow, and smiled. It had only been about two hours ago when I'd stumbled back into the house bleeding from my arm and stomach. So much had changed since those two hours. It was mind blowing.

I turned, and looked up the stairs, taking a few steps toward them, testing my legs out, knowing that if they all woke up; they'd see not only my bare legs, but some of my butt too. My lace nightgown that Stella had loaned me was that short. It almost made me want to gag as I thought about what she might've done in this thing. I forcefully shoved the baby barf back down my throat.

I walked up the stairs, keeping my footfalls nice and soft, silent even, as I carefully padded up the stairs, glancing back at the others every once in a while, as I cautiously continued, pain flickering through my legs and arm, my wrapped up stomach giving me a little bit of trouble once I got to the top of the stairs, and turned to walk into the bedroom that Stella had pointed me toward, mine.

I lifted my hand, my heart pulsing slightly. Someone was in there. Magical power swirled from the door, echoing my own weakened heartbeats, brushing across the edges of my senses, the luster all too familiar. I tilted my head back, taking a deep breath, sweet stardust flowing down into my chest, my heart glowing once, before winking out. I smiled, holding my left hand to my heart. I knew they wouldn't harm me.

I took the doorknob in my hand gently, and pushed downward, the door clicking open, a soft beam of moonlight showing me into the tidy white bedroom. I stepped around the door carefully, leaning forward, and glanced around. Bed, dresser, closet, Noctis, bathroom. My eyes flashed back to the window. Noctis? What? My face flushed slightly. Great. Just perfect. He turned, hearing my pounding heart, his steel blue eyes gentle yet hard at the same time, as I shut the door behind me carefully, pressing my back against it.

"Noctis, I…I'm sorry…." I murmured, keeping my eyes averted, as the wind blew through the slightly ajar window, ruffling the lace curtains and my pink hair. He took a step toward me.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, his question drifting through the air toward my ears slowly, nearly silent over the sounds of the moonlight hitting the floor, my scarce breathing, my fluttering heart. I flattened my hands against the surface of the door, leaning my butt against the backs of my hands.

"I'm alright. My stomach's been better, but my arm's alright." I answered, keeping my eyes on the floor, even as he continued to walk toward me slowly, vulnerable like I was. He barely nodded, his eyes on my stomach, boring through the white fabric of Stella's nightgown, seeing through the bandages, glaring into my wound directly.

"Good." One word. That's all it took to reply to me.

I bit my bottom lip, pushing away from the door, and walking toward the window, our shoulders brushing as I passed him. My eyes closed as his magical power faded, the soothing sweetness vanishing from my chest. I sighed. What was to become of us? Just a fragile fate of only exchanging one or two words at a time? Had I angered him that much?

"Noctis, can I ask you something?" I started, looking back at him from over my shoulder, Noctis turning to look at me.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice clear of any trace of concern, agony, pain. Any emotion. There was none. I felt my irises flicker.

"Are you…Mad at me?" I continued earnestly, blinking once. He shook his head and took the few remaining steps toward me.

"I'm not mad at you." He answered, standing right beside me, watching the moon slowly fly across the sky, drifting on its set silver path. I sighed.

"Then why are you so silent?" He turned his head toward me.

"You want me to talk to you? I thought that you didn't want me to help you." I swerved to the left, leaving his side in an instant, holding my right fist to my forehead, my eyebrows twitching. Damn my big mouth.

"Noctis, I never said that I didn't want you to talk to me. I just wanted to figure it out on my own. And I managed to figure it out on my own, only Cid helped me." I answered, Noctis's eyes widening as he stayed silent.

I got up onto the bed, and sat still, my legs shaped like a W, my hands in my lap as I looked back at him, expectant. I knew what he was going to say. He was going to lecture me about fighting on my own, about leaving him to worry about my well being, about scaring Serah half witless. About making Stella use her magical power only to fail miserably. About nearly giving him a heart attack when I dropped to the floor face first, exhausted and wounded.

I had a lot to make up for, and I had a feeling that he was going to lecture me about them. Noctis wasn't exactly the talking type, but this was different. I'd been in danger. The kind of danger he'd promised Serah he'd protect me from. It wasn't his fault that he'd failed. It was my fault for going out on the balcony alone. I should've brought someone with me, like Stella.

But I'd been so upset when I'd left the room. Even after Noctis had held me, I was still upset and hurt. I'd had to figure things out on my own. It hadn't taken me long to come to the conclusion that I would be fighting for them when the time came. And then Cid had interrupted me. Our battle had been fierce, bitter, and bloodthirsty, although he'd walked away with more wounds than I had. At least I'd put up a fight.

"What was it like…Fighting Cid?" He asked quietly, putting his hands on the window sill, as he watched the sky. I tensed my hands up, not wanting to remember.

"It was…Chilling." I answered breathlessly, looking down at my trembling hands. He sighed.

"Do you like the power that you have?" He asked, walking toward the bed. I looked down at my chest, the source of all my power.

"It's fine. Strong. Beautiful. Exhilarating." I replied, nodding. He sat down in front of me, his face level with mine, our eyes locking.

"Are you okay?" He continued with his onslaught of questions, as I felt my hands begin to twitch. I nodded, and smiled softly.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just tired." I answered, looking back at him directly, Noctis's answering smile slight and faint. He was hurting. He snorted, turning away slightly.

"Then sleep. I'll leave. I promise." I giggled, lifting my palm up to my face, smiling gently.

"What?" He asked, watching me giggle into my palm, like a little girl. I opened my eyes, my face softening at his gentle gaze, the slight pink blush on his face cute. I shook my head, lowering my hand from my mouth.

"Just the way you laugh. I think it's funny." I replied, blinking once. Noctis narrowed his eyes.

"Oh really?" He lifted his hand from his lap, slowly reaching toward me.

I waited for the sweetness and warmth to land on my cheek, where it belonged, but it didn't come to the side of my face. Fingertips danced across my thigh, brushing up to the middle of my thigh, then down to the top of my knee, back and forth, feather light and tender, like blades of grass sliding across your ankles in the wind. The nerve endings in my face registered his touch and heated up, my entire cheek and eye area flushing a bright pink, like my hair. Noctis smirked slightly, continuing to caress my leg lightly.

"The way you blush is what I find funny." He replied, his lip curled up. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck begin to curl up.

"S-Stop it! Quit touching me, damn it!" I cried, sliding backwards, his lip curling up even further. I held my breath as he slid closer to me, sliding his fingers under my chin smoothly, his right hand delicately brushing across my leg.

"You can't handle it, Claire?" I blushed fiercer. What was up with him?

"It's not that I can't handle it! I just don't want you touching me there!" I retorted, lifting his hand off of my leg with a sharp thrust of my left arm. He smirked.

"Always so shy…Why don't you just enjoy it?" My eyes widened. _No-It couldn't be!_

"Why're you-?" He leaned forward, his fingers moving up to hold the side of my face tenderly, my eyes fluttering shut as I leaned back, my back hitting the pillows, as Noctis held himself over me.

"Just relax, Claire. I'm only messing with you." He answered, sitting back. I opened my eyes, hunger rising inside me.

Without thinking, I lifted myself up, and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, and pressed my lips against his deeply, Noctis's eyes widening for a split second, then closing as he responded warmly. I held him close to me, as our lips moved in synchronization, my hands locking themselves in his black hair. His hands slid up my thighs, both of them, my body erupting in chills at his touch, something that I didn't normally do.

But I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the feeling of his fingertips brushing across my skin. I wanted it. Craved it. Needed it. I'd wanted to be this close to him for a while now, or at least close enough to be able to feel his heart beat against mine, his breath wash over my face, his eyes rove across mine. I've wanted to be loved by someone, to be cared for, to be held. And finally, Noctis was doing that to me. He was comforting me.

My lips parted as my forehead touched his, our bodies against each other, as his fingers lightly ran down the lengths of my thighs, the hairs at the back of my neck prickling upward. I'd never been touched. I'd never been held. I'd never experienced anything like this. The way his palms softly brushed over my skin, the gentleness yet intensity of his kisses, the familiar ragged beating of his pounding heart, they were foreign to me, and yet, I was enjoying it.

My cheeks flamed, my stomach knotted with butterflies as his hands slid up to my waist, running up my arms, his thumbs lightly brushing against my rib cage, my heart fluttering in my chest below my sloped hill on my left side. I could feel the redness of my face and neck deepen, as he held me still, leaning forward to press his lips to my temple tenderly, my eyes closing as I smiled faintly, the surge of happiness that roared through me warm and comforting. But I wanted more.

I turned my head, as he lifted his face to mine, my hands reaching up and taking a hold of his cheekbones, and pulling him toward me, the steel blue irises I both loved and hated glowing with a hunger I'd never seen before. Lust roared through my veins, as his lips touched mine, his arms wrapping around me tightly, as I limply held his face, the fire carrying the hunger through me along with my fiery blood, the dragon spitting flames inside me, as it begged for more, prayed for me not to stop, for _him_ not to stop.

I didn't want him to stop. I wanted him to continue holding me close, to keep his lips pressed against mine even though my lungs were screaming for air, I still wanted my head to swim and spin as hard and fast as it was, the butterflies in my stomach going into hyper drive as our lips met again, deeper and fiercer than before.

"Noctis." I panted, his eyes opening expectantly. "Don't stop."

This time, when he pressed his lips to mine, something snapped inside me. My magical power reacted to it, his touch, his hold, his heart. It lightly wafted out of my chest in ruby ribbons of crimson light, just like the orange threads that had brought me back from being insane the other day. They rippled the air around us, the wind blowing gently, my pink hair sliding across my face, my powder blue eyes opening as I clutched my right hand to my heart, the power snaking through my fingers, Noctis's left hand shifting to hold my right one, above my heart, without even glancing at it.

I closed my eyes, and leaned forward, my forehead pressed up against his, just beginning to sweat, my breathing ragged, as he sat still, smiling down at my heart, the entwined hands on top of it. I lifted both of my hands, sliding my right hand out from under Noctis's and clamped them down on his face, pulling his face to mine hungrily, my breath whistling through my parted lips in labored and ragged inhales and exhales.

This hunger, lust, it was roaring through me. The feeling scared me. But the rough flames of it faded away at Noctis's touch. The burning in my throat washed away when his lips touched mine. My blue eyes opened wide when his hand brushed against my right hip, his left sliding down from my heart to hold my other hip, his whole front side coming even closer. On instinct, I laid back, trying to keep myself as far away from him as possible. I was terrified now. I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I didn't want to do anything else except this. This already felt so good. Anything more, and I'd surely explode.

But he didn't do anything else. He just cradled my hips in his palms as I held his lips to mine, our foreheads pressed together, beads of sweat pouring down the sides of my face as the room all of a sudden jumped from 60 degrees to over 100 in seconds, much to my slight disapproval. I didn't notice. I was too preoccupied. My eyes closed again, my heart light in my chest, floating through the liquid sugar my chest cavity had become, as if drunk on the sweetness that flowed through my veins, the dissolved flames fading before they could burn my wandering heart as it leapt through me. My head kept spinning, faster and faster, around and around, as I held him closer to me, his fingertips lightly dancing across my thighs.

My grip on the right side of his face fell away, my left hand dropping to the ruffled covers, my powder blue eyes opening as I slid my right hand up the side of his neck, my lips curling up into a gentle smile as he held himself over me. His smile was gentle, his eyes closed slightly, the spot underneath his eyes bright pink, echoing mine, as my face flushed. He was so amazing. I couldn't help but love him, unfortunately. I'd do anything for him, I realized. Even taking that step I was so afraid of taking.

"That was interesting." He muttered, looking away, trying to hide his blush. I laughed.

"You couldn't lie?" I asked, as I gently turned his face back to mine. "Don't worry about it. It was interesting. We were talking, and then…"

"Stuff happened. You're afraid, aren't you?" I bit my swollen bottom lip. That was enough of an answer for him. "It's okay. You don't have to worry. I'll only go as far as you want me to go."

"Hold on. Since when were we…?" He smirked.

"Ask yourself. And your knightly qualities." My face flushed again, my right hand tightening against the side of his head.

"Jerk." I spat, Noctis laughing.

"If I'm so much of a jerk, then why are you pulling me back to you?" I narrowed my eyes.

"I hate it when you ask me those kinds of questions." I replied, his lips brushing against mine, my left hand reaching up to hold his face. "They drive me nuts."

"I know. That's why I ask them. You're so fun to mess with." He replied playfully. I couldn't help but smile against his lips gently.

"Hn. Well, I like messing with you too, pervert." I answered, as his lips met mine once more.


	10. Lust

**Author's Note**: Alright. I have some bad news. Due to my computer being a butthead, I lost all of the stuff I was working on for the rest of my fanfictions, meaning my SasuSaku month piece is gone, my first Vampire Knight fanfic is gone, my icons, and all fo the other stuff I was working on it gone as well. So, now I have to start from scratch. And this is what I came up with. I was inspired by Sakura Kyouko from this Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime. I haven't seen any episodes, but I really like Kyouko. She's kinda, cool. Anyway, I basically based Claire's personality on Kyouko's, kind of like a tough tomboy with a "vampire" inner self. I really like Kyouko anyway. So, moving on, I think that the outbursts near the end were kind of awkward, but then again, I was a little upset, so I needed something to cheer me up. And perverted crap is pretty much the only thing that cheers me up nowadays. I'll fix that eventually. Anyway, updates for this will come faster, because I'm excited for this. And "Dirty Laundry"...Not sure I'm finishing that. Anyway, enjoy this! By the way, the chapter name. I wasn't sure what to call it, so I picked one of the words I used the most, which would be "Lust".

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII or Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Or any of the references I made, be it directly said or implied. I also do not own Clark Kent (TOM WELLING! 3333333333), sadly. Smallville's rubbing off on me. Anyway, I do not own anything that is not mine. Obviously.

* * *

Consciousness. I was conscious of the hand that rested on my shoulder blade as I watched the words on the paper I was holding in my hand swim in front of my eyes. They were threatening words, carrying fear and pain through my veins as I held my hand in front of my mouth, my breath shaking in between my parted lips.

"Our house has been…Foreclosed." My voice was broken; as I watched the words fade in and out in time with my labored breathing. How had this happened? Had I made a mistake in covering my ass?

I had been positive I hadn't let anything slip when I'd spoken to my guidance counselor at school or the mortgage company last time I'd paid the bills. Which was when? I didn't remember. All I knew was that we, meaning Serah and I, were in some deep, deep trouble. As in, if I didn't figure out a way out of this, we were bound to board the first train to Pulse. And Serah wouldn't be able to take that. I was positive of that. No, scratch that. I was _100% certain_ that she wouldn't be able to handle it.

"It'll be alright, Claire. You'll see," A low voice replied from behind me, to which I swung around.

I'd known who it was even before he'd said anything. His touch…I knew it, somehow. I knew the feeling of his magical power that brushed across my tensed aura, smelling of starlight, like the night sky he was named after. Light of the Night Sky. The name suited him. His eyes were the color of the stars that shimmered in the sky, hidden behind the sunlight at the moment.

My own crimson power often drank from his, making my inner spirit seem like a vampire. Perhaps that was what I really was, seeing as how I managed to never die. Cid had nearly ripped my heart out of my chest, and yet, I wasn't dead. Of course, my heart was still within me now, my magical power making sure of that. The rupturing of the barriers under the skin on my shoulders should have killed me, and yet here I was. And the only reason I was alive, was because I was bound to him. So long as he was alive, I would live alongside him.

My magical power gave me strength and faith, my power being named "Scene Drive" by myself and those around me, aside from the ancient texts. My power was really called "The Knight", which was my title. Claire Farron, the Knight. I was the knight born and bred to stand in the way of those who'd dare challenge my loved and bound ones. My desire to protect something had given birth to my scarlet curtain, that same curtain carrying the scent of sweet roses.

In short, I was built for battle. I wielded the Blaze Edge, a sword that only the strongest of soldiers in the Cocoon Army could own, let alone wield. I was the knight with the duty of bearing everyone else's burdens, and then acting upon those burdens. But this fact didn't frighten me. I was used to bearing weights as heavy as my lack of strength before I'd lost my humanity. The instant I'd met Odin in that field of roses, I'd given up all hope of returning back to normal.

But then I'd nearly went insane, and Noctis had brought me back. I'd first felt the power of magic, the spell he'd called "Clarity", and it was unlike any other sensation I'd ever experienced. Okay, kissing Noctis was probably on the top of my list of favorite "somethings", but that aside, that spell or incantation was close to the top of the list. Perhaps because Noctis had kissed me in order to activate it?

I took a deep breath, and looked back at him, the letter trembling in my hands. "Please, I hope you're right."

"Have I ever been wrong?" I thought for a moment, and nothing he'd guessed, assumed, predicted, or pointed out incorrectly came up. He smiled, and slid his hand down the side of my face gently. "Your hair's gotten darker."

"Huh? Where the hell did that come from?" I asked, as he held a stray strand out for me to look at, only to find that he was, once again correct. My bubble-gum pink hair was growing redder and redder. It was still pink, but had much more ruby in it than normal. "Wow…Does magic have any side effects?"

He thought for a moment. "Not that I know of. Why?"

"My hair used to be bubble-gum pink! Now it's turning crimson!" I exclaimed suddenly, sliding my face closer to his, my powder blue eyes narrowed. He didn't move away. He just smirked, running his fingers through my hair.

"Aw, relax. Your body's just adapting to it, that's all," he replied. I shook my head, and snorted.

"Lazy bum," I muttered back, crossing my arms across my chest indignantly. All the things he said, they'd haunt my dreams tonight.

As well as the house being foreclosed. I had to think of a way to get out of it. My hair growing darker because of my body adapting to the presence of my magical power was the least of my worries. If we lost the house, Serah and I'd be deported immediately. Mother and Father wouldn't be pleased with me from their place in the Land of the Dead if I allowed that to happen. I had to protect Serah with everything I had. And not allowing the house to be taken from us was one of those things I had to do.

"Claire, about your house," he started, pulling me out of my reverie. I blinked my eyelids together, and parted my lips.

"What is it? You've got ideas on how to save my ass, Clark Kent?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. He lifted an eyebrow at the "Clark Kent" reference, and sighed.

"What I was going to say before you compared me to Superman was that I may be able to help you," he replied smoothly, unbroken from his deep breath. I, on the other hand, was hindered in this aspect.

"Are you sure?" I burst out, taking a step forward suddenly, grabbing his shoulders in my hands tightly, the letter falling to the counter. He nodded slowly, as my strawberry colored bangs fell into my ice blue eyes.

"Yes," he answered, steely irises dazed. I smiled, and tilted my head. God, he looked so cute when he was confused. Almost made me want to…

I shook my head, and smiled. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"Claire, slow down," he blinked, as I jerked my head back slightly. Once he'd stopped me, he sighed. "In order for me to help you, I'd have to get a hold of my parents all the way in Crystallis. Phone connections are down, and it's too dangerous to set foot in the country right now."

"Then why had you suggested it?" I asked dully, swaying on my feet a little bit. He rubbed the back of his head shyly, unsure of how to respond, knowing my temper. Noctis looked back at me, and shrugged.

"Because we could do it. I just need you to come along," he replied, giving me an honest and serious look. I lifted a finger to my lips, and thought about it.

I had school. That automatically meant I wouldn't be able to go. There's no way in hell that I'd be able to make up all of that work in the span of a weekend. It was just inhumanly possible. Plus, as he said, it was too dangerous to go into that country at the moment, regardless of my status as a Knight. I didn't want to admit it, but I wasn't strong enough yet to make the trip. Not only that, but I wasn't experienced enough either.

I'd just awoken to my power. And the barrier underneath my skin was still broken. I wouldn't be able to take another battle like the one with Cid for a long time. Still, this would be a good opportunity to test my abilities and to see exactly how much my body could take. But if I pushed too hard or if I overexerted myself, I could wind up dead. And Serah wouldn't be able to handle that either. I lifted my blue eyes back to him, and shook my head.

"I don't think I can swing that right now, Noctis," I started, his eyes softening. "I mean, you saw how exhausted and hurt I was after I came back from fighting Cid. I still haven't fully recovered yet, and it's been six days since then."

"Claire, the date on that paper is only a week away. I figure it'll take us about a week to get there, fight our way through, get to my parents, convince them to assist you, get the money, come back, and pay it. I'll work, I promise," he answered, leaning back against the island in the middle of the kitchen. I sighed.

He did have a point. It wouldn't take all that long to go and do what we needed to do, unless Cid showed up again. I'd barely defeated him once. And I'd only accomplished that by the skin of my teeth. He was fierce, skillful, and more experienced than me. I couldn't get around that. So if we met in battle again, Noctis or no Noctis, I wouldn't win. Even with all of my power, I still wouldn't beat him.

And then there was his threat. He'd said that the next time we met, he'd kill me, no questions asked. I was certain that the power he'd shown me in our first battle wasn't the full extent of his strength. That thought pissed me off. He'd been holding out on me. Or, so I assumed. But maybe that had been the full extent of his magical power. If so, then I had a slim chance. I had to believe in that slim chance with my entire heart.

"I'm still not sure, Noctis. I have to go to school, and-" Hands on my lower back distracted me as Noctis pulled me in closer, our lips centimeters away from each other.

My powder blue eyes trembled at the closeness, as crimson swam in front of my irises. Locks of hair blew in the wind coming in from the window, rimming my sight in brilliant scarlet. He wouldn't kiss me. Despite the fact that we'd nearly had sex back in Mrs. Fleuret's apartment in Palumpolum. What happened back in Palumpolum, stayed in Palumpolum. And even though I'd enjoyed every single second of it, he wouldn't make any moves on me now.

His lips moved against mine, unbearably sweet and…tempting. "Still, I was just putting it out there."

"Is there any particular reason why you're this close to me?" I asked. Noctis only smirked, and took a few steps closer, my back hitting the side of the stove, the boiling rice in the pot beside my right hand. Fingertips light on the left side of my jaw, he trapped me.

Then he spoke. In his velvet, spellbinding voice. "I like being this close to you."

"Well, when you're this close to me, I can't breathe," I muttered back, the smell of rice wafting into my nose, directly followed by the sweet scent of the night sky which I knew to be his magical power. My breath caught. I couldn't breathe.

He smiled, and cradled the side of my face gently. "Maybe you're not as strong as you think."

"How does strength have anything to do with this? You're the one who keeps coming closer!" I demanded, tossing my head. He closed his eyes, smirking.

"It has everything to do with it, Claire. It comes down to four words," he started, lifting up four fingers against the line of my jaw, my hands trembling on the stove. "You. Can't. Resist. Me."

And with each tap of his fingers against my jawbone, I knew he was right. "…Noctis."

"Hollow. That's what your voice sounds like to me right now," he murmured smoothly, leaning closer, my back bending over the stove as he kept the same distance between our faces even as we were moving. My eyes widened, my lips parted, my heart pounded. "And I don't like it."

"My voice isn't hollow! I just can't breathe!" I retorted, my sudden outburst only urging his lip to curl up further. His face came even closer, lips brushing against mine in the gentlest of kisses. My heart stopped in my chest, my eyes closed.

"How's the breathing now?" he asked, my inability to pull air into my mouth through my frozen lips enough of an answer for him. This only urged him onwards.

His hands slid down from the sides of my face across my shoulders, as I remained still, frozen in air. My crimson magical power began to rise, pulsing in luminous rings from my pounding heartbeat. But he wasn't afraid of it. My magical power hadn't risen to fight him off, or to protect me. It loved his own holy strength. It was craving it. The vampire-like spirit inside me hissed and seethed, anxious for magic and the feeling of his touch whenever he swept his hands across my skin.

The sound of its voice sent tremors running up and down my spine, as the crimson light blew around me, enclosing Noctis and I within the binds of the circle that spun on the floor around my feet, the shimmering rose petals that always preceded my Blaze Edge's appearance lifting off from the spinning symbols on the tile floor at the sound of my inner vampire's next hiss. My eyes glowed bright crimson, my lip curling up as he held me where I was above the stove.

Not only could was I strong enough to fight with it, I couldn't control it either. I was letting my powers grow and leak from my body like the seething blood in my veins, as my sinister and hungering smile twisted my normally human-like face. I wasn't human anymore, now that my spirit had the attributes of a vampire as well as the fact that I was now known as a Knight. Where had all of this supernatural crap come from anyway?

My crimson eyes glowed as I held my right hand out, my smooth, angelic fingers grabbing at the air beside me. My fingers traced the shape of his elbow rose petals swirling down the length of my arm, my face bending backwards as I smiled once again as his hands slid down my arms and pressed themselves along my sides. His fingers licked at my ribs, brushing across my beating heart, the vampire-like spirit that was my magical power fuming with pleasure and, sorry to say, lust.

He wouldn't be denied me. If I wanted him to take me, he would. If I wanted him to kiss me breathless, he would. If I wanted him to hold me, just like this, then he would. I could feel the burning of desire flowing through my veins, my muscles tensing as I watched and listened to his trembling aura dance across my own, my inner self licking at its fangs impatiently, eager and hungry.

I wasn't literally a vampire. I didn't like the taste of blood. But I loved spilling it. I enjoyed my powers. They brought out the side of me that craved bloodlust, became addicted to the feelings of strength and power that would wash over me whenever I drew my blade. I lived off of the energy my magic bestowed upon me, relied on its presence to take a breath. I wasn't breathing now. Breathing now would be suicide. He was much too close. One whiff of his magical power would only intoxicate me.

I wrapped my hands around his elbows, as he held my ribs gently between his palms. "You're hesitating."

"Hesitating? Where did you get that idea?" My lip curled up further, showing my teeth. My scarlet irises brought surprise to his face. My tone grew darker, hunger thick in my voice.

"Your moves are too soft and timid for it to be you, Noctis," I replied smoothly, turning my eyes to the pot of rice beside me, and lazily lifting my hand from his right elbow to stir it.

His eyes throbbed. "Claire?"

"Don't be afraid," I murmured, turning my lone right eye to him as I cocked my head, lifting my chin. "I'm still myself, only…"

"Only…?" he echoed, his voice hollow. The crimson luster that had painted my eyes a boiling ruby shimmered in sympathy. He was afraid. My smirk became ominous. _Of being cornered._

"You're the one," I started, leaning forward to hold my face against his before adding, "who can't resist me."

"So, you're suggesting we play the game of who can hold out longest?" I blinked, and slid my face closer, taking a step forward, his back hitting the island he'd been leaning on before. _Time to play the game._

"You think so?" I answered naughtily, lifting my hand to the side of his face as he bent over backwards, the wind ruffling my strawberry colored hair playfully.

I could see the fear in his steel blue eyes, I could smell the temptation on his skin as my lips drew closer to his, the hunger that danced on the tip of his tongue taunting me to smother it, to put out the fire inside of him, the same fire that he was holding back, preventing himself from exploding. The same fire that he'd almost nearly given into that night in Palumpolum.

I could see him through my narrowed crimson irises, his face swimming in the swaths of scarlet that veiled my heart from his sight. I could feel him underneath my skin, flowing through my veins as I drew closer and closer to releasing him from his pain and yearning. I could smell him through my tensed and poised pores within my nose as I took my first breath, the scent of his magical power reverberating through my heart.

I could hear him catch his breath as my chest brushed his, my beating heart pounding against his own as they collided within one heartbeat. I could taste his pain and urgency on the surface of my parted lips, only compelling me to make him suffer longer. But I wouldn't do that. My teeth appeared once more as my lip curled back. I was just as hungry and pained as he was. For what would I gain from making him wait even longer? My eyes closed. Not a thing, for I was in the same boat.

My lips hesitated on his, lingering at the center of them, his hollow breathing billowing across my face. "Claire…You…"

"I'm suffocating you, aren't I? You want me to back off, right? Or do you like it too much?" I asked, heedless of the footsteps upon the back porch. With one hollow exhale, I stole his breath. "Suit yourself."

"You tempt me too much," he murmured with his next breath, leaning his face forward, intending to meet mine, but before our lips could meld, the door opened.

"Claire…? Noctis…? What're you guys doing…?" I didn't turn, as my magical power slowly but surely faded, the wilting rose petals blowing across the silence in the air. Noctis turned his head, steel blue eyes wide. Our current position wasn't exactly friendly.

"Serah? Stella? That was quick," He pointed out, the line of his jaw facing me. I opened my eyes, and gently rested the tips of my fingers against it. His left eye opened, while his right closed, watching me with a shaken expression. Tracing my fingers down the side of his face to cradle it only brought shock to his irises. "Claire, what're you-?"

"Just playing with you," I replied smoothly, my voice like velvet. Serah watched in confusion as I taunted Noctis, toying with what I knew to be the desire in his veins. Stella narrowed her eyes, and took a few steps forward.

"Claire, what the hell do you think you're doing? The rice is going to burn!" I blinked my crimson eyes, the hold my inner vampire-like spirit had upon me broken at the sound of her voice. My powder blue irises returned seconds later, as I swung away from Noctis to check the rice.

"I stirred it a few times, while I was talking to Noctis," I pointed out, taking the spoon from her to stir it as she heaved the pork Serah and herself had bought up into the pan beside the pot of rice.

"Well, you wouldn't believe how long the line was at the supermarket. Holy crap. It took us like, twenty minutes just to check out," she explained, skillfully pulling the pork apart in the pan as it cooked, her anger forgotten.

"And this really fat lady decides to block our path when we wanted to leave the store. I mean, she was this huge giant porker of a woman!" Serah added, throwing her arms out at her sides to estimate how large the woman was. Noctis leaned up on the island with both of his hands pressed against the counter, as I put a hand on my hip, and shook my head.

"Serah, she wasn't fat. She was just a little bigger than everyone else, namely yourself," I corrected. Noctis snorted, and walked over to the stove, gently pushing me aside.

"You're one to talk, Claire. You insult tons of people while we're at school," he answered, throwing me a smirk from over his shoulder. I balled my right hand up, and buried my fist into the side of his face without hesitation.

"You weren't supposed to tell Serah that, idiot!" I burst out, as I swung my fist through open air, Noctis ducking under the second one. I flung my fist back to my side, and stormed toward him. "YOU STUPID LITTLE DUFUS!"

"C-Calm down Claire!" I grabbed his collar in my right hand tightly, and tossed my head angrily.

"HOW CAN I BE CALM WHEN YOU WENT BACK ON YOUR PROMSIE OF KEEPING THAT BETWEEN THE TWO OF US?" I exploded. I was certain I was overreacting only because I was suffering from withdrawal. I had been so close. I licked my lips. So, so close.

"Claire, I'm serious, calm down!" I laughed once. I wasn't really angry at him. My temper flicked off with a flip of the switch, and I let go of him, hunger flowing through my veins. Yes, I was suffering from withdrawal.

"I'm only playing with you. How about you take a chill pill?" I huffed, turning away from him, folding my arms across my chest. He lifted an eyebrow, and shook his head.

"You're so needy," he muttered. I swung my head toward him and blew smoke and fire out of my nose.

"Only because you taunted me!" I shot back.

"I wasn't taunting you. You're the one who didn't want me to touch you again!" he countered. I looked back at him from over my shoulder.

"I want you to touch me! Don't you get that?" I demanded, Stella and Serah watching us with wide eyes. They didn't know about Noctis and I's night in Palumpolum, I assumed. Noctis awkwardly face-palmed.

"See? That's what I'm saying! You're needy!" Stella blushed out of embarrassment.

"Maybe you're the one who's needy! I could smell you just like, two seconds before Stella and Serah interrupted us!" Serah covered her face with her hands.

"_Smell_ me? Are you KIDDING ME?" he cried, leaning his face toward mine, incredulous. "YOU'RE MAKING THAT UP!"

"WHY WOULD I MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT UP? HUH?" I answered, our faces extremely close as I balled my hands up at my sides. "GIRLS ARE HONEST!"

"Oh, please," he sighed, exasperatedly sliding his hand down his face. "Cut the good girl routine, would you?"

"I'll cut it out as soon as you admit that you wanted me _just_ as much as _I_ wanted _you_!" I exclaimed, blurting out what was on my mind before I even thought about the consequences. Stella's face turned beet red, Serah's eyes opening out from behind her hands. I jerked my head back, standing up straight. "Wait, what?"

He smirked. "Nice confession."

"Wha…" I started, looking all around me, taking in my surroundings. And the silence. "Wait, I didn't mean it like that! That's not the way I meant it! Look, look, let's just forget that ever happened!"

"Claire…You _want_ Noctis?" she asked in a tiny voice. Stella swallowed what I thought to be one of her "baby barfs", and pointed at him.

"Just as much as he wants you?" I slammed my palm into my face, and huffed. Noctis tapped me on the shoulder, my back immediately straightening up at his touch as I turned around. He smirked at me.

"Stella, Serah. To answer your question, it's a resounding yes on her half. As for me," he started, swiftly grabbing my right wrist. I felt myself flying through the air, my left foot lifting off from the ground. His smirk grew wider as his left hand knotted in the hair at the back of my head. "I'll never own up to."

I watched with throbbing, wide eyes. "…Noctis."

"So, you're basically saying, that what Serah and I walked in on was Claire teasing you?" Stella summarized, her tone of voice completely bored. Noctis looked up from me, and relaxed his hand at the back of my head.

"More or less," he answered, my eyes shutting as I gulped, my cheeks flushing bright pink. Serah slammed her palm down on the counter, lifting something to her face.

"Dear Mr. Farron, I am sorry to inform you that your house has been…" My eyes flashed open, my magical power rising within seconds. She couldn't read the rest of it. She just couldn't.

I swept my right hand across the air, accidentally jabbing Noctis in the stomach with my elbow, the Blaze Edge materializing into my palm, sweeps of rose petals flying from the length of it as I gripped the hilt tightly in my hand. Serah looked up from the letter as I brought my sword whistling upward, the tip slicing through the letter cleanly, as well as not dealing any harm to Serah. I brought the Blaze Edge around once more, cutting through the two halves of the letter again, holding my left hand at my side as I sliced it. Now no one could read it.

"C-Claire…Why'd you just cut that in half? It was addressed to Father! It could've been important!" I put my hand on my hip once the Blaze Edge blew away into rose petals, those same petals dancing across my face.

"Serah, that letter was old. Like, from years ago. Back when he was still alive," I explained lazily, folding my arms across my chest again. Serah held her left hand on her heart.

"Claire, tell me the truth! You've been so tense lately about money and stuff! Please, let me help! I've got a 100 in Math, I'm sure I can assist you in the bill paying!" I screwed my eyes shut, and gritted my teeth.

"It's my burden to bear, Serah," I replied, reaching for the rice. "Stay out of it."

"But Claire!" I turned toward her, blinking tears from my eyes. I didn't want to hide it from her anymore. But I didn't want her to know about my failure either.

"Serah," I began evenly, despite the waterfalls that cascaded down my cheeks. "Let me handle it."

Stella took a step forward, about to change the subject. "On another note, Noctis!"

"I hear you," he answered, expectant. She shifted on her feet nervously.

"My father called the shop today," she murmured. He narrowed his eyes, and urged her to continue. "He's ordered my mother and I to return to Tenebrae at once. If we resist, he said that he'd destroy all we hold dear."

He clenched his fist. "Meaning me, right?"

"Looks like it," she answered. Serah turned from Noctis to Stella, then back again.

"But that means…" Her voice trailed off. I narrowed my eyes, and tightened my right hand.

"It's my turn now," I finished, taking a few steps toward Stella, who'd dropped her face into her hands and began sobbing. Once I reached her, I lifted her chin up with my finger lightly. "Hey…I'm the Knight, right? They won't touch Noctis. I promise."

"Claire, he's not talking about just Noctis. He's talking about the entire country," she replied. Noctis shifted, turning to look out the window.

"She's right. Stella's father has the power to destroy an entire floating paradise, like Cocoon. If I don't go to him, Crystallis is as good as done," he murmured back. I lightly placed my hand on his shoulder blade.

"I told you, didn't I?" He turned around, and blinked. I smiled. "I told you I would protect you. It's my job. I'm the Knight that has to protect the Prince and Princess. The three of us cannot be separated, understand?"

Stella sobbed harder. "But Claire! You won't be able to beat him!"

"I know," I answered without hesitation. Stella lifted her face up. "But what matters is having a heart that never yields!"

"Claire…" Noctis and Stella breathed at the same time. Serah smiled, and nodded.

"Yeah! Don't worry, Stella, Noctis. Claire and I'll protect you!" she added, lifting her fist up. I turned to her, and shook my head.

"Serah, you can't come along," I told her gently. She smirked back.

"I know. I have school. And I have to watch the house. Don't worry. I'll find a way to help out," she answered, poking my forehead. I smiled, and nodded.

"You got it," I replied, turning to Noctis and Stella. "Everything'll be alright, you'll see."

Noctis lifted Stella's chin with his finger tenderly. "Stells, with Claire on our side, we can't lose. She's going to save us."

"You will save us?" Stella asked, looking back at me. I stiffened. "You're going to break the curse of hatred that binds the families of Caelum and Fleuret?"

I didn't know much about the cycle of hatred, but despite that, I nodded. "I am."

"Please, Lady Knight, don't let us down," she answered. I nodded, and drew my Blaze Edge, holding it flat in my hand.

"I swear upon my sword, to my last breath, I will protect you with my life," I promised, nodding my head once. She smiled, and nodded back.

"I'll be counting on you," she answered. Noctis tilted his head.

"As will I," he added with a nod. Serah tapped me on the shoulder.

"We've got to get clothes for you!" she pointed out, grabbing my hand as my Blaze Edge vanished into midair. Stella followed behind, and once the door shut, I was quickly undressed and attempting to cover myself with my hands and arms.

"Hey!" I cried, as Serah plowed through her closet, Stella digging through Serah's drawers, searching for something I could wear. I sighed as clothes flew toward me. They were never gonna decide on something.

I balled my hands at my sides, and watched the crimson light blow from my chest, as I held my arms all the way out from myself, praying to Odin that he could give me something to wear that wouldn't embarrass me. As the light brightened, I spun around, watching the tights and armored black boots fall still upon my skin as the rose petals relaxed, circling up my body. A short, ruffled skirt came next, black in color, much like my favorite that I had received from Serah.

As the skirt settled around my waist, a tight fitting white shirt that stretched taut over my breasts appeared from the rose petals that flew from the pink cloud that had enshrouded me, giving me privacy. The white shirt settled over my bra, the buttons already done, the open, folded collar around my neck gentle and familiar as it remained sleeveless. I watched pieces of cloth weave together around my elbows, the laces tying together as the laces at the back of my white shirt became secure. Laces hung from the sides of my skirt, brushing against the sides of my thighs, the tights only coming up to rest just above my knees, a single band of white circling the tops of them.

Plates of armor layered themselves upon my body, much like flower petals, the plates reaching for the middle of my back as they wrapped around my torso, the front side crossing over my chest, the white buttons on the front of my shirt vanishing into rose petals. The remainder of my shirt remained, except for the bit at my shoulders, as plates of armor layered themselves upon my skirt, protecting the elastic waist band and the lower part of my torso. My right hand grabbed at the air, rose petals swirling along my arm to produce the hilt for me to grab onto. A headband appeared in my hair, tying it back as the metal bands came down on my elbows. Sleeves of metal clasped down on my arms, soft fabric fading into existence.

My armored boots sparkled in the light as I stood inside the cloud gripping onto the Blaze Edge that materialized into my right hand as I pulled it back, the pink cloud dissipating. Stella and Serah looked over at me, my outfit, and my armor. I stared straight ahead as the wind ruffled my hair, the sunlight glowing scarlet upon the floor as I watched Serah and Stella look me over. Serah's hands dropped the skirt she'd been holding, Stella's shirt slipping from her shoulder to the floor.

"How did you…Do that…?" she asked, as the rose petals circled me my left fist tightened at my side. Serah watched the light shine off the metal of my armor, and admired the crimson luster that rippled from the Blaze Edge. "It's so beautiful…"

"It's called," I started, as one ripple of light surged from my heart, crimson sparkles blowing in the air around me in the shapes of rose petals. "Scene Drive."

"Or "The Knight", according to the ancient texts. That magic you have is what identifies you as a Knight. Therefore, it is properly called "The Knight". But I like "Scene Drive" better, to be honest," Stella nodded in approval, walking around me to my back. "Oh, Claire…I love this! It's such an amazing little bit of armor! It looks like flowers and stuff! And the laces that are all over the place, like your skirt and shirt! And the open back and shoulders! Oh my god, you look so good in this!"

Serah grabbed something from the top of her dresser, and ran toward me. "Claire! I've got this for you."

"What is it, Serah?" I asked, as she held something up with both hands. A lightning bolt on a chain, by the looks of it. A necklace?

She put it on, crossing to stand behind me to clasp it as I pulled my hair onto one shoulder. "So that way you'll remember to come back."

"Serah…I'll…" She shook her head, and hugged me tightly.

"I know, but just to give me some peace of mind," she answered, fighting tears. I nodded, and lifted my head to the ceiling, the light blowing off of me, bringing my armor with it. The clothes I had been wearing before, a simple white spaghetti strap and pale denim shorts and flip-flops returning. But the lightning bolt necklace remained. Stella's mouth dropped.

"Why didn't you leave your armor on? Didn't you want to show Noctis?" I shook my head, and smirked.

"I think I teased him enough for today," I replied, putting my hands on my hips, as I heard a knock on the door.

"Claire, you done in there? I wanna talk to you for a second!" I took a few steps toward the door, and opened it.

A hand gripped my wrist and pulled me around the door as I squealed out of surprise. Another door shut, and my back slammed into the surface of the door. I felt a hand circle my waist as footsteps echoed outside the room I was trapped in, breath billowing over my face. The dimly lit room didn't assist me in identifying my captor by sight. But by touch, I knew it was Noctis.

"What are you waiting for, Noctis?" I murmured smoothly, the smell of his magical power brushing against my open pores. My lip curled back across my teeth. "I know you want to."

"I'm…Not gonna do it," he whispered brokenly. I shrugged, and stood there as he pressed my wrists against the door.

"Suit your own self," I breathed against his temple, his eyes throbbing. "Although I know, you can't keep this up longer than I can."

"So, we're playing that game then, huh?" A smile answered my cocky smirk. I brushed my lips across his gently, his breath catching in his throat. My heart pounded in my chest at the scarce contact.

My sinister smirk was echoed by my crimson eyes. "I guess we are."

"Bring it on," he answered, holding my left wrist against the wall as his left hand circled my waist, his lips tracing the shape of my jaw lightly. I wouldn't be able to hold out long if he continued like this. But I was going to win.

"Hit me with your best shot."


End file.
